ODYSSEUS   AS  A   YOUTH    AT    HOME    WITH    HIS   MOTHER. 


ODYSSEUS 

THE  HERO  OF  ITHACA 

ADAPTED  FROM  THE  THIRD  BOOK  OF  THE  PRIMARY 
SCHOOLS  OF  ATHENS,  GREECE 


BT 

MARY  E.   BURT 

Author  of  "Literary  Landmarks,"    "Stories  fnmi  Plato,"    "Story  of  On 

German  Iliad,"   "The  Child-Life  Reading  Study"  ;   Editor  of 

"Littlt  Nature  Studies"  ;    Teacher  in  the  John  A. 

Browning  School,  New  York  City 

AND 

ZENAIDE  A.  RAGOZIN 

Author  of"  The  Story  of  Chaldea,"  "  The  Story  of  Assyria,"  "  The  Story 

of  Media,   Babylon,   and  Persia,"    "The  Story  of  Vedic   India"  ; 

Member  «f  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society  of  Great  Britain  and 

Ireland,   of  the  American    Oriental  Society,   of  the 

Sodtte  Ethnologioue  of  Paris,  etc. 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S    SONS 
1899 


COPYRIGHT,  1898,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


•MA 


Co 

THE   TEACHER 

WHOSE    rXTEGRITY  AXD   PEDAGOGICAL  SPEUT 
HATE  CREATED  A   SCHOOL  WHEREEf    THE    IDEAL  MAT 


THOSE   ENTHUSIASTIC  PUPILS 

WHO  LOVE  THE   LOYALTY  AXD   BRAVERY  OF  ODYSSEUS 
THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED 


CONTENTS 

PAG* 

INTRODUCTION         .        .        .        .        .        .     xiii 

PART  I 

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  HERO, 
ODYSSEUS 

CHAPTER  FAGS 

I.  About  Troy  and  the  Journey  of  Paris  to 

Greece 3 

II.  The  Flight  of  Helen        ....  6 

III.  The  Greeks  Sail  for  Troy  10 

IV.  The  Fall  of  Troy 13 


PART  II 

THE  RETURN  OF  ODYSSEUS  TO  His  OWN 
COUNTRY 

R  PACK 

V.  Odysseus  on  the  Island  of  Calypso    .         .       21 
VI.  Odysseus  Constructs  a  Raft  and  Leaves  the 

Island 25 

rii 


viii  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

VII.  Odysseus  is  Saved   on   the   Island   of 

Scheria 29 

VIII.  Nausicaa  is  Sent  to  the  River  by  Athena  31 
IX.  Odysseus  Arrives  at  the  Palace  of  Alki- 

noos 38 

X.  Odysseus  in  the  Halls  of  Alkinoos         .  42 

XI.  The  Banquet  in  Honor  of  Odysseus       .  47 

XII.  Odysseus  Relates  His  Adventures .         .  54 

XIII.  The  Lotus-Eaters  and  the  Cyclops        .  57 

XIV.  The  Cave  of  the  Cyclops     ...  60 
XV.  The  Blinding  of  the  Cyclops        .         .  64 

XVI.  Odysseus  and   His  Companions  Leave 

the  Land  of  the  Cyclops      <    '.         -67 
XVII.  The    Adventures  of  Odysseus    on   the 

Island  of  ^Eolus      .         .         .         .72 
XVIII.  Odysseus  at  the  Home  of  Circe     .         .       75 
XIX.   Circe    Instructs    Odysseus   Concerning 

His  Descent  to  Hades     .         .       -  .       78 
XX.  The  Adventures  of  Odysseus  in  Hades  .       84 
XXI.  Odysseus   Converses  with  His   Mother 

and  Agamemnon     .         .         .         .87 
XXII.  Conversation  with  Achilles  and  Other 

Heroes ......       90 

XXIII.  The  Return  of  Odysseus  to  the  Island  of 

Circe    ......       94 

XXIV.  Odysseus  Meets  the  Sirens,  Skylla,  and 

Charybdis 98 


Contents  ix 

APTER  PACK 

XXV.  Odysseus  on  the  Island  of  Helios        .  101 
XXVL  The  Departure  of  Odysseus  from  the 

Island  of  Scheria ....  105 

XXVII.  Odysseus  Arrives  at  Ithaca        .         .  108 
XXVIII.  Odysseus  Seeks  the  Swineherd  .        .113 


PART  HI 
THE  TRIUMPH  OF  ODYSSEUS 

CHAPTER  FAGK 

XXIX.  Athena  Advises  Telemachos      .  .123 

XXX.  Telemachos  Astonishes  the  Wooeis  .     128 

XXXI.  Penelope's  Web       .         .         .  .130 

XXXII.  The  Journey  of  Telemachos      .  .     135 

XXXIII.  Telemachos  in  Pylos        .         .  .138 

XXXIV.  Telemachos  in  Sparta       .         .  .141 
XXXV.  Menelaos  Relates  His  Adventures  .     147 

XXXVI.  The  Conspiracy  of  the  Suitors  .         .  151 

XXXVII.  Telemachos  Returns  to  Ithaca  .         .  155 

XXXVIII.  Telemachos  and  the  Swineherd          .  158 

XXXIX.  Telemachos  Recognizes  Odysseus       .  161 

XL.  Telemachos  Returns  to  the  Palace      .  165 

.XLI.  Odysseus  is  Recognized  by  His  Dog .  169 

XLII.  Odysseus  Comes,  a  Beggar,   to  His 

Own  House         .         .         .         .172 
XLHI.   Conversation  of  Odysseus  and  Penel- 
ope   176 


x  Contents 

CHAPTER  PACK 

XLIV.  Eurycleia  Recognizes  Odysseus  .  .180 

XLV.  Penelope's  Dream      .         .         .  .183 

XL VI.  Athena  Encourages  Odysseus       .  .185 

XLVII.  The  Last  Banquet  of  the  Suitors  .  .188 

XLVIII.  Odysseus  Bends  the  Bow    .         .  .194 

XLIX.  Death  of  the  Suitors           .         .  .201 

L.  Eurycleia   Announces    the   Return  of 

Odysseus  to  Penelope   .         .  -203 

LI.  Odysseus  Visits  His  Father          .  .     209 

Vocabulary  and  Notes         .         .  .215 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

ODYSSEUS  AS  A  YOUTH   AT   HOME  WITH   His 

MOTHER Frontispiece 

FACING 

CAGE 

THETIS,    THE   MOTHER    OF  ACHILLES,   WAS  AN 

OCEAN  NYMPH  .        .        .        .        .        .10 

ODYSSEUS  AND  MENELAOS  PERSUADING  AGAMEM- 
NON TO  SACRIFICE  IPHIGENEIA  .        .        .12 

ARETHUSA,  NYMPH  OF  SPRING  NEAR  KORAX      .     113 

THE  SWINEHERD  TELLS   His  STORY  TO  ODYS- 
SEUS .         . 119 

ODYSSEUS  FEIGNS  MADNESS       .        .        .        .146 


INTRODUCTION 

IT  has  long  been  the  opinion  of  many  of  the 
more  progressive  teachers  of  the  United  States 
that,  next  to  Herakles,  Odysseus  is  the  hero 
closest  to  child-life,  and  that  the  stories  from  the 
"  Odyssey  "  are  the  most  suitable  for  reading- 
lessons.  These  conclusions  have  been  reached 
through  independent  experiments  not  related 
to  educational  work  in  foreign  countries. 

While  sojourning  in  Athens  I  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  visiting  the  best  schools,  both  public  and 
private,  and  found  the  reading  especially  spir- 
ited. I  examined  the  books  in  use  and  found 
the  regular  reading-books  to  consist  of  the 
classic  tales  of  the  country,  the  stories  of  Her- 
akles,  Theseus,  Perseus,  and  so  forth,  in  the 
reader  succeeding  the  primer,  and  the  stories 
of  Odysseus,  or  Ulysses,  as  we  commonly  call 
him,  following  as  a  third  book,  answering  to  our 
second  or  third  reader.  This  book  I  brought 
home  with  me  and  had  a  careful,  literal  trans- 
lation made.  I  submitted  this  translation  to 
that  notable  scholar,  Zenalde  A.  Ragozin,  with 


xiv  Introduction 

whom  I  faithfully  traversed  the  ground,  word 
by  word  and  sentence  by  sentence.  This  ver- 
sion I  have  carefully  compared  with  Bryant 
and  rewritten,  making  the  language  as  simple 
as  could  be  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  the 
subject-matter. 

The  introduction  to  the  original  book  as  I 
found  it  in  Greece  contains  many  interesting 
points,  since  it  shows  that  educators  in  foreign 
countries,  notably  in  Germany,  had  come  to 
the  same  conclusion  with  our  best  American 
teachers.  The  editor  of  the  little  Greek  read- 
ing-book says: 

"  In  editing  this  work  we  have  made  use  not 
only  of  Homer's  '  Odyssey,'  but  also  of  that  excel- 
lent reader  which  is  used  in  the  public  schools  of 
Germany,  Willman's  '  Lesebuch  aus  Homer.' 
We  have  divided  the  little  volume  into  three 
parts,  the  first  of  which  gives  a  short  resume" 
of  the  war  against  Troy  and  the  destruction  of 
that  city,  the  second  the  wanderings  of  Odys- 
seus till  his  arrival  in  Ithaca,  the  third  his  arri- 
val and  the  killing  of  the  wooers.  We  have  no 
apology  to  make  in  presenting  this  book  to  the 
public  as  a  school-book,  since  many  people  su- 
perior to  us  have  shown  the  need  of  such  books 
in  school-work.  The  new  public  schools,  as  is 
well  known,  have  a  mission  of  the  highest  im- 


Introduction  xv 

portance.  They  do  not  aim,  as  formerly,  at 
absolute  knowledge  pounded  into  the  heads  of 
children  in  a  mechanical  way.  Their  aim  is 
the  mental  and  ethical  development  of  the  pu- 
pils. Reading  and  writing  lead  but  half  way 
to  this  goal.  With  all  nations  the  readers  used 
in  the  public  schools  are  a  collection  of  the  no- 
blest thoughts  of  their  authors." 

The  Greek  editor  had  never  read  the  inane 
rat  and  cat  stories  of  American  school  "  read- 
ers" when  he  wrote  that.  He  continues: 

"  Happily  the  Greek  nation,  more  than  any 
other,  abounds  in  literary  masterpieces.  Nearly 
all  of  the  Greek  writings  contain  an  abundance 
of  practical  wisdom  and  virtue.  Their  worth  is 
so  great  that  even  the  most  advanced  European 
nations  do  not  hesitate  to  introduce  them  into 
their  schools.  The  Germans  do  this,  although 
their  habits  and  customs  are  so  different  from 
ours.  They  especially  admire  Homer's  works. 
These  books,  above  all  others,  afford  pleasure 
to  the  young,  and  the  reason  for  it  is  clearly 
set  forth  by  the  eminent  educator  Herbart : 

" '  The  little  boy  is  grieved  when  told  that  he 
is  little.  Nor  does  he  enjoy  the  stories  of  lit- 
tle children.  This  is  because  his  imagination 
reaches  out  and  beyond  his  environments.  I 
find  the  stories  from  Homer  to  be  more  suit- 


xvi  Introduction 

able  reading  for  young  children  than  the  mass 
of  juvenile  books,  because  they  contain  grand 
truths.' 

"  Therefore  these  stories  are  held  in  as  high 
esteem  by  the  German  children  as  by  the  Greek. 
In  no  other  works  do  children  find  the  grand 
and  noble  traits  in  human  life  so  faithfully  and 
charmingly  depicted  as  in  Homer.  Here  all 
the  domestic,  civic,  and  religious  virtues  of  the 
people  are  marvellously  brought  to  light  and 
the  national  feeling  is  exalted.  The  Homeric 
poetry,  and  especially  the  '  Odyssey/  is  adapted 
to  very  young  children,  not  only  because  it  sat- 
isfies so  well  the  needs  which  lead  to  mental 
development,  but  also  for  another  reason.  As 
with  the  people  of  olden  times  bravery  was 
considered  the  greatest  virtue,  so  with  boys  of 
this  age  and  all  ages.  No  other  ethical  idea 
has  such  predominance  as  that  of  prowess. 
Strength  of  body  and  a  firm  will  characterize 
those  whom  boys  choose  as  their  leaders. 
Hence  the  pleasure  they  derive  from  the  ac- 
counts of  celebrated  heroes  of  yore  whose 
bravery,  courage,  and  prudence  they  admire." 

The  editor  further  extols  the  advantages  aris- 
ing from  the  study  of  Homer,  it  making  the 
youthful  students  acquainted  with  the  earliest 
periods  of  Greek  history,  the  manners  and  cus- 


Introduction  xvii 

toms  of  the  people,  and  he  ends  by  quoting  from 
Herbart : 

"  Boys  must  first  get  acquainted  with  the 
noisy  market-place  of  Ithaca  and  then  be  led  to 
the  Athens  of  Miltiades  and  Themistokles." 

With  equal  truth  the  American  can  say  that 
the  child  whose  patriotism  is  kindled  by  the 
Homeric  fire  will  the  more  gladly  respond  to 
the  ideals  set  forth  in  the  history  of  a  Colum- 
bus or  a  Washington. 

MARY  E.  BURT. 


PARTI 

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  LIFE 
OF   THE   HERO,  ODYSSEUS 


CHAPTER  I 

ABOUT  TROY  AND  THE  JOURNEY  OF  PARIS  TO 
GREECE 


ON  the  northern  shore  of  Asia  Minor  there 
lies  a  plateau  watered  by  many  small  rivers 
and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  mountains,  only 
on  the  north  it  slopes  gently  to  the  sea.  On 
this  plateau,  between  the  Simois  and  Scaman- 
dros  rivers,  in  the  oldest  times  there  stood  a 
very  rich  and  powerful  city,  whose  name  was 
Troy.  It  was  the  capital  of  a  large  and  fertile 
district,  known  as  the  Troad.' 

There,  about  1200  B.C.,  reigned  a  king  by  the 
name  of  Priam,  possessed  of  great  power  and 
boundless  wealth.  He  had  many  sons  and 
daughters.  It  was  said,  indeed,  that  he  had  fifty 
sons  who  were  all  married  and  living  in  their 
own  homes,  which  they  had  built  by  the  king's 
wish  around  the  royal  palace. 

They  were  all  handsome  and  heroic  young 

men.     One  of  the  youngest,  Paris,  also  named 

Alexandras,   surpassed    the   others   in   beauty. 

He  was  a  restless  youth  and  not  fond  of  his 

3 


4  Odysseus 

home,  as  were  the  others.  He  had  set  his 
heart  on  travelling  and  seeing  strange  coun- 
tries and  cities.  King  Priam  was  extremely 
fond  of  his  large  family,  and  took  pride  in  hav- 
ing all  his  children  about  him,  so  that  at  first 
he  was  greatly  opposed  to  the  wishes  of  Paris. 

But  the  youth  was  so  persistent  and  unhap- 
py that  the  king  at  last  consented  to  let  him 
go.  Without  delay,  Paris  called  together  a  few 
friends  with  tastes  as  adventurous  as  his  own. 
They  embarked  in  a  new  ship  well  provided 
with  all  that  travellers  need,  and  set  sail  for 
the  famous  land  on  the  shores  of  the  vEgean 
Sea,  of  which  they  had  heard  so  many  wonder- 
ful things,  and  which  was  called  Hellas. 

Nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  plain  which 
forms  the  southern  part  of  Hellas  was  the  city 
of  Sparta.  It  was  on  the  river  Eurotas,  and 
was  the  capital  of  a  large  district  called  Lace- 
dasmon,  and  it  was  to  this  city  that  Paris  came. 

Now,  there  was  a  mysterious  reason  for  this 
strange  desire  of  Paris — his  passionate  longing 
to  travel.  In  his  early  youth,  while  he  was 
still  minding  his  herds  on  the  rich  pastures  of 
Mount  Ida,  he  received  a  visit  from  the  three 
greatest  goddesses  of  Olympos. 

Hera,  the  queen  of  Heaven  and  consort  of 
Zeus — Athena,  { the  goddess  of  wisdom,  and 


Troy  and  the  Journey  of  Paris        5 

Zeus's  favorite  daughter — and  Aphrodite,  the 
goddess  of  love  and  beauty,  had  a  dispute 
among  themselves. 

Each  thought  herself  the  most  beautiful  of 
the  three,  and  they  would  have  come  to  high 
words  about  it  had  not  Athena  proposed  that 
they  should  ask  the  handsomest  man  in  the 
world  to  settle  the  question.  This  happened  to 
be  the  young  royal  shepherd,  Paris.  So  the 
three  goddesses  floated  down  to  the  slope  of 
Mount  Ida  on  a  snowy  cloud  and  placed  the 
question  before  him,  each  promising  to  reward 
him  royally  if  he  gave  his  verdict  in  her  favor. 

Paris,  as  might  have  been  expected,  decided 
in  favor  of  Aphrodite,  who  had  promised  him 
that  the  fairest  woman  living  in  the  whole 
world  should  be  his  wife.  This  promise  had 
to  be  kept,  being  given  by  a  goddess,  but  it 
was  the  source  of  endless  misfortune,  for  Paris 
had  a  young  and  lovely  wife  who  was  tenderly 
attached  to  him,  while  the  fairest  of  living 
women — acknowledged  as  such  by  fame  in  all 
known  countries — was  Queen  Helen  of  Sparta, 
herself  the  wife  of  another  man. 

Her  husband  was  one  of  the  most  renowned 
heroes  of  Hellas,  King  Menelaos,  a  son  of 
Atreus  and  brother  of  the  leader  o*f  the  Greek 
chiefs,  Agamemnon,  King  of  Mycenae.  It  was 


6  Odysseus 

Aphrodite,  then,  who  inspired  Paris  with  an  in- 
sane desire  to  forsake  his  parents,  brothers,  and 
wife.  It  was  her  secret  guidance  which  led  him 
across  the  seas  and  through  the  dangers  lurk- 
ing among  the  hundreds  of  islands  of  the  Ar- 
chipelagos straight  to  the  land  of  Lacedaemon. 
This  is  the  central  of  the  three  peninsulas 
in  which  the  Peloponnesus  ends,  and  might  be 
called  the  middle  finger  of  that  large  hand  of 
which  Arcadia  is  the  palm. 

Paris  landed,  with  all  his  companions,  on 
the  shores  of  Lacedaemon,  where  the  people 
received  him  kindly  and  helped  him  on  his 
journey  to  Sparta,  where  Menelaos  and  Helen 
gave  him  a  cordial  welcome. 


CHAPTER    II 

THE   FLIGHT  OF   HELEN 

APHRODITE,  while  leading  Paris  to  the  shores 
of  Lacedaemon,  had  not  forgotten  her  promise, 
and  in  Sparta  itself  she  was  at  work  at  its  ful- 
filment. She  inspired  Queen  Helen  with  a 
growing  discontent  and  restlessness  of  spirit. 
Menelaos  had  not  noticed  any  change  in  her, 
and  it  was  with  an  utterly  unsuspicious  mind 


The  Flight  of  Helen  7 

that  he  received  the  fatal  strangers  and  made 
them  welcome  guests  in  his  land  and  home. 

More  than  that,  having  heard  the  news  from 
Crete  that  his  presence  there  was  desirable  on 
account  of  some  urgent  business,  he  did  not 
hesitate  to  set  sail  for  that  island,  in  the  expec- 
tation of  finding  Paris  and  his  companions  still 
enjoying  the  hospitality  of  his  palace  after  a 
short  absence. 

This  was  the  chance  which  wily  Aphrodite 
had  contrived  for  Paris.  He  took  the  hint  and 
carried  Helen  away  to  his  ship,  together  with 
as  much  treasure  as  they  could  lay  hands  on, 
and  then  they  sailed  for  Troy.  Little  did  he 
heed,  in  his  mad  desire  to  call  the  most  beauti- 
ful woman  in  the  world  his  wife,  that  she  was 
already  the  wife  of  a  hero  who  had  received 
him  as  an  honored  guest  in  his  house,  and  that 
he  was  about  to  destroy  the  peace  and  honor 
of  his  host. 

As  soon  as  Menelaos  heard  of  the  flight  of 
his  wife,  he  hastened  back  to  Sparta,  where 
he  found  his  palace  deserted  and  his  treasure- 
house  robbed. 

Then  his  heart  was  filled  with  great  wrath. 
He  set  out  at  once  to  see  his  brother,  Aga- 
memnon, to  consult  with  him  about  what  was 
to  be  done.  Agamemnon  was  ruler  over  My- 


8  Odysseus 

cenae,  and  highly  respected  in  all  Hellas  on 
account  of  his  power  and  riches. 

After  the  two  brothers  had  talked  over  this 
grave  affair,  they  announced  to  all  the  leaders 
in  Hellas  the  great  and  detestable  crime,  and 
asked  them  for  their  assistance.  All  the  king's 
chiefs  of  Hellas  lent  a  willing  ear  to  this  de- 
mand, for  in  this  breach  of  hospitality,  commit- 
ted against  one  of  them,  each  felt  himself  per- 
sonally aggrieved  and  bound  to  help  in  the 
punishment  of  what,  in  those  times,  was  con- 
sidered the  most  unpardonable  of  all  crimes. 
Only  one  of  the  kings  held  back  for  awhile  and 
needed  much  persuasion  to  join  the  league. 
This  was  Odysseus  of  Ithaca,  who  could  well 
consider  himself  at  the  time  the  happiest  of 
mortals,  for  he  had  lately  married  Penelope, 
one  of  the  fairest  and  most  virtuous  maidens  of 
Greece.  He  had  an  infant  son  of  great  beauty 
and  promise,  and  he  owned  muqh  land  and 
countless  herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  and  swine. 
Added  to  that,  all  the  petty  nobles  of  the  isl- 
and acknowledged  him  as  their  chief. 

But  a  soothsayer,  or  seer,  had  greatly  dis- 
turbed him  by  informing  him  that  if  he  went 
to  a  great  war  he  would  be  kept  away  from  his 
home  for  the  space  of  twenty  years,  and  even 
then  return  to  it  in  the  guise  of  a  beggar,  after 


The  Flight  of  Helen  9 

having  suffered  wrecks,  captivity,  endless  wan- 
derings, and  loss  of  comrades. 

No  one  could  doubt  that  Odysseus  was  brave, 
but  no  one  could  blame  him  for  wishing  to  be 
excused  from  taking  part  in  the  war  against 
Troy.  Menelaos  and  his  brother,  however, 
would  accept  no  excuse  from  him,  as  he  was 
the  wisest  and  craftiest  of  all  the  leaders,  and 
when  Odysseus  finally  consented  to  join  them 
he  set  about  arming  and  directing  the  young 
Greek  warriors  with  all  his  heart  and  soul. 

There  was  another  young  prince  whom  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  to  secure,  for  a  much 
venerated  oracle  had  given  it  as  a  decree  of  the 
gods  that  Troy  could  never  be  taken  without 
his  help.  This  was  Achilles,  son  of  Peleus, 
king  of  the  Myrmidons  in  Thessaly,  and  of  the 
beauteous  ocean  nymph,  Thetis.  Notwithstand- 
ing his  extreme  youth,  his  father  would  not  dis- 
appoint the  whole  country,  and  he  let  him  go 
with  those  who  came  for  him.  But  he  sent 
along  with  him  his  adopted  son,  Patroklos,  who 
was  several  years  older,  and  to  whom  the  boy 
was  passionately  attached,  and  also  his  oldest 
and  most  trusted  servant,  Phoenix.  These  two, 
the  old  man  and  the  youth,  he  charged,  as  they 
hoped  for  the  mercy  of  Zeus,  to  keep  watchful 
guard  over  Achilles,  whose  exceedingly  impet- 


io  Odysseus 

uous  and  reckless  temper  exposed  him  to  many 
dangers  which  might  be  averted  by  a  sensible 
and  loving  word  spoken  in  time. 

The  Greeks  took  counsel  together,  and  it 
was  resolved  that  Menelaos  should  go  in  per- 
son to  Troy  and  demand  back  his  wife,  Helen, 
as  well  as  his  treasure  and  a  suitable  apology 
for  the  wrong  done  to  him  and  to  all  Hellas. 
He  chose  for  his  companion  the  cunning  Odys- 
seus. On  their  arrival  in  Troy,  Menelaos  and 
Odysseus  presented  themselves  before  Priam 
and  demanded  the  return  of  Helen  and  the 
treasures. 

The  king  at  once  called  his  people  together 
to  deliberate  upon  the  matter,  and  the  two 
Greek  kings  bravely  denounced  the  mean  act 
of  Paris.  But  the  Trojans,  stirred  up  by  that 
youth,  abused  the  ambassadors  and  drove  them 
out  of  their  city. 


CHAPTER   III  • 

THE   GREEKS   SAIL   FOR   TROY 

THE  kings  and  chieftains  of  Hellas,  having 
heard  that  Odysseus  and  Menelaos  had  been 
driven  out  of  Troy,  hastened  to  call  together 
their  fleets  and  armies  at  Aulis,  a  city  of 


THE  SILVER-FOOTED   THETIS  Rl 
Thetis,  the  rr.other  of  Achilles, 


)M  THE   WAVES. 
;-       .      ;- 


The  Greeks  Sail  for   Troy  n 

Boeotia  on  a  ridge  of  rock  running  out  into  the 
sea  between  two  little  bays,  each  of  which 
was  a  harbor  for  many  ships.  A  hundred  thou- 
sand men  and  a  thousand  ships  were  gathered 
there  under  the  leadership  of  the  celebrated 
and  heroic  chiefs.  The  commander-in-chief  of 
the  whole  army  was  Agamemnon. 

Among  the  renowned  leaders  were  Menelaos, 
the  sagacious  Odysseus,  Ajax,  and  many  others. 
Just  as  they  were  offering  a  sacrifice  to  the 
gods,  in  order  to  start  out  to  the  war  with  their 
good  will,  a  great  miracle  happened.  A  fear- 
ful snake  crept  from  under  the  altar  and 
climbed  a  tree  in  which  there  was  a  sparrow's 
nest  nearly  hidden  by  the  leaves.  There  were 
eight  young  sparrows  in  the  nest,  nine  birds 
with  the  mother.  The  snake  devoured  the 
fluttering  little  birds,  around  which  the  mother 
circled  as  if  overcome  by  grief. 

Then  the  snake  darted  at  the  mother-bird 
and  swallowed  it,  when  Zeus  changed  the  rep- 
tile into  a  stone.  The  Greeks  wondered  at  the 
sight,  but  the  soothsayer,  Calchas,  said  to 
them:  "Why  do  ye  wonder  at  this?  The  all- 
powerful  Zeus  has  sent  us  this  sign  because 
our  deeds  shall  Ifve  forever  in  the  minds  of 
men.  Just  as  the  snake  has  devoured  the  eight 
little  sparrows  and  their  mother,  so  shall  the 


1 2  Odysseus 

war  swallow  up  the  nine  coming -years,  and  in 
the  tenth  we  shall  overcome  Troy." 

The  ships  of  the  Greeks  lay  in  the  bays  of 
Aulis_while  the  warriors  waited  impatiently  to 
set  sail.  But  the  winds  were  contrary  ;  they 
would  not  blow,  and  the  boats  waited  there  year 
after  year ;  for  a  sacred  hind  had  been  slain 
by  Agamemnon,  one  that  belonged  to  the  god- 
dess Artemis,  and  it  was  ordered  by  that  god- 
dess that  no  wind  should  arise  to  take  them 
on  toward  Troy  until  her  wrath  had  been  ap- 
peased. 

So  Agamemnon  went  to  Calchas,  the  seer, 
and  asked  his  advice,  whereupon  the  old 
prophet  told  him  to  send  for  his  lovely  young 
daughter,  Iphigeneia,  and  offer  her  up  on  the 
altar  as  the  only  acceptable  sacrifice  to  Arte- 
mis. When  he  had  placed  her  upon  the  altar 
and  the  priest  was  raising  his  knife,  the  god- 
dess took  pity  on  Agamemnon  and  carried  the 
girl  away  in  a  cloud,  leaving  a  fine  white  doe 
instead. 

And  now  arose  a  favorable  wind,  and  the 
Greeks  arrived  safely  before  Troy.  How  they 
fought  with  the  Trojans,  how  many  of  the  he- 
roes outlived  the  struggle,  and  how  many  fell 
in  the  battle,  all  this  we  can  learn  from  an  old 
book  called  the  "  Iliad."  We  shall  select  from 


The  Fall  of  Troy  13 

it  only  those  things  which  refer  to  our  hero, 
Odysseus ;  and  to  complete  the  history  of  that 
hero  we  shall  go  to  another  book,  called  the 
"  Odyssey." 

Both  of  these  books  are  the  work  of  the 
great  poet  Homer,  who  lived  many  years  after 
the  war  with  Troy.  That  we  may  understand 
better  what  happened  later  on,  we  must  give  a 
short  account  of  the  fall  of  Troy  and  of  the  re- 
turn of  Menelaos  and  Agamemnon  to  their  own 
country. 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE  FALL  OF  TROY 

THE  war  lasted  nine  years,  and  in  the  tenth  the 
Greeks  conquered  Troy,  not  in  battle,  but  by 
means  of  a  trick  which  had  come  into  the  mind 
of  Odysseus.  He  Jxjld  a  skilful  carpenter  to 
build  a  wooden  horse  of  gigantic  size,  and  in  it 
he  hid  the  bravest  Greek  warriors.  When  he 
had  done  this  he  advised  all  the  other  Greeks 
to  depart  without  leaving  anything  behind 
them,  and  so  lead  the  Trojans  to  believe  that 
they  had  given  up  the  fight  and  gone  home. 


14  Odysseus 

So  the  Greeks  burned  their  tents  and  put  off 
to  sea,  while  the  Trojans  from  their  walls 
watched  them  with  great  joy,  thinking  them- 
selves well  rid  of  an  enemy.  When  the  last 
ship  had  gone,  the  Trojans  threw  open  the 
gates  of  their  city  and  rushed  down  into  the 
plain  where  the  Greeks  had  had  their  camp,  to 
see  how  the  place  looked. 

There  they  found  the  wooden  horse,  and  one 
of  the  Greeks  tied  to  a  tree,  who  told  them  he 
was  left  there  as  a  punishment,  and  that  the 
wooden  horse  was  an  offering  to  the  gods. 
The  Trojans  made  up  their  minds  to  carry  it 
into  their  city  and  give  it  the  best  place  on 
their  highest  hill. 

Then  Laocoon,  a  priest  of  Apollo,  stepped 
forth,  and  said  to  them  :  "  Unhappy  people ! 
what  madness  possesses  you  ?  Do  ye  think 
the  enemy  gone?  Do  ye  know  Odysseus  so 
little  ?  There  are  Greek  warriors  hidden  in 
this  horse,  or  else  some  other  mischief  is  lurk- 
ing there.  Fear  the  Greeks  even  when  they 
bring  gifts." 

With  tfrese  words,  he  thrust  his  spear  into 
the  flank  of  the  horse,  and  the  arms  of  the  hid- 
den enemy  clashed  with  a  loud  noise.  Just  then 
two  snakes  of  great  size,  sent  by  Athena,  rose 
from  the  sea,  and  sprang  upon  Laocoon  and 


The  Fall  of  Troy  15 

his  two  sons,  and,  coiling  around  them,  bit  them 
to  death.  The  Trojans,  in  great  fear  at  the 
sight,  took  this  as  a  sign  from  the  gods  that  the 
horse  was  sacred  and  that  they  must  protect 
it,  and  they  moved  it  at  once  into  their  city, 
breaking  down  a  part  of  their  wall  to  get  it  in. 

Having  done  this,  they  gave  themselves  up  to 
feasting  and  making  merry,  without  the  slight- 
est thought  that  any  evil  was  in  store  for  them. 
But  when  night  had  come,  and  all  were  in  a 
deep  sleep,  the  ships  of  the  Greeks,  which  had 
been  hiding  all  the  while  behind  a  neighbor- 
ing island,  came  back.  The  warriors  who  were 
concealed  in  the  wooden  horse  sprang  out  and 
rushing  wildly  through  the  city,  slew  the  Tro- 
jans right  and  left  without  mercy.  From  all 
sides  came  wailings  and  groans,  and  the  flames 
of  the  burning  city  rose  up  to  the  sky. 

A  deadly  struggle  took  place  between  the 
Trojans  and  the  Greeks.  Priam  was  slain,  and 
Paris  and  many  other  heroes.  The  victory 
was  to  the  Greeks.  Troy  fell  never  to  rise 
again,  and  the  women  and  children  were  led 
off  to  become  slaves  to  their  conquerors. 

Thus  was  destroyed  in  one  night  the  great 
and  glorious  city  of  Troy,  all  on  account  of  the 
crime  which  Paris  had  committed  against  the 
laws  of  hospitality. 


iG  Odysseus 

The  trials  of  the  Greeks  were  not  yet  at  an 
end.  After  their  victory  at  Troy  they  em- 
barked in  their  ships  and  started  eagerly  for 
their  homes.  But  Zeus  prepared  a  sad  fate 
for  them,  because  Ajax-toad  violently  dragged 
Cassandra;,  the  beautiful  daughter  of  Priam, 
from  the  altar  of  Athena  and  had  made  her  his 
slave.  Thus  many  of  the  leaders  perished  in 
the  sea  far  from  home,  and  some  were  cast  on 
foreign  shores  to  die. 

Menelaos  was  thrown  by  wind  and  waves  on 
the  island  of  Crete,  and  he  lost  many  of  the 
ships  on  the  cliffs.  Thence  he  strayed  to  the 
island  of  Cyprus.,  noted  for  its  mines ;  and  he 
roved  through  other  lands  until  he  came  to 
Egypt,  where  he  wandered  about  for  eight 
years,  when  he  returned  to  Sparta,  taking 
Helen  with  him.  He  became  reconciled  to  his 
wife,  and  they  lived  a  quiet  life  far  removed 
from  the  enchantments  of  the  wily  Aphro- 
dite. 

But  the  saddest  fate  of  all  overtook  Aga- 
memnon, who  met  his  death  in  his  own  house 
at  the  hands  of  his  wife  and  brother. 

Agamemnon,  without  any  accident  at  sea, 
reached  his  native  land.  Full  of  gratitude,  he 
kissed  the  earth  and  wept  tears  of  joy  at  the 
thought  of  meeting  his  wife  and  son. 


The  Fall  of  Troy  17 

He  entered  his  home  with  a  glad  heart,  and 
his  faithless  wife  came  to  meet  him,  but  she 
had  prepared  a  hot  bath  for  him,  and  there  he 
met  his  death,  entangled  in  a  net  which  she 
threw  over  him,  for  she  had  not  forgotten  the 
loss  of  her  beautiful  daughter,  Iphigeneia, 
whom  she  believed  to  have  been  offered  up  as 
a  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  Artemis. 

She  was  assisted  in  this  dreadful  deed  by  her 
husband's  brother,  who  became  ruler  over  the 
land,  holding  sway  eight  years,  when  Orestes, 
the  son  of  Agamemnon,  slew  him  and  regained 
the  kingdom. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  return  of  Odysseus, 
the  wisest  of  the  Greeks,  who  wandered  to  the 
remotest  part  of  the  earth  and  learned  the  cus- 
toms of  many  people,  and  who  suffered  terrible 
things  by  land  and  sea. 


PART  !1 

THE   RETURN   OF   ODYSSEUS   TO 
HIS  OWN   COUNTRY 


CHAPTER  V 

ODYSSEUS   ON  THE  ISLAND   OF  CALYPSO 

ALL  the  Greeks  who  had  escaped  from  the 
destruction  of  Troy  and  had  been  spared  the 
terrors  of  the  sea  returned  to  their  homes. 
But  the  unfortunate  Odysseus  was  delayed  by 
the  fair  nymph  Calypso  on  her  island,  where 
she  made  her  home  in  a  cool  and  beautiful 
grotto.  There  he  wept  and  mourned,  desiring 
to  see  his  wife  again  and  his  native  land.  Each 
of  the  gods  save  one,  Poseidon,  god  of  the  sea, 
wished  to  help  him  to  find  the  way  home. 
Odysseus  had  brought  Poseidon's  wrath  upon 
himself  through  inflicting  a  terrible  injury 
upon  the  favorite  son  of  that  deity,  and  for  that 
reason  the  wrath  of  the  god  fell  on  him  and 
he  was  wrecked.  One  day  all  the  other  gods 
had  assembled  in  the  hall  of  Zeus,  on  Mount 
Olympos,  when  Athena,  the  favorite  daughter 
of  Zeus  and  firm  friend  of  Odysseus,  knowing 
that  her  father  in  his  heart  was  well-disposed 
toward  the  hero,  began  to  plead  for  him  in  a 
way  to  excite  greater  pity  still. 

"O  my  father,  thou  great  king  among  the 

21 


22  Odysseus 

gods,"  she  said,  "my  heart  is  troubled  on 
account  of  the  wise  Odysseus,  who  lingers  on 
an  island,  far  away  from  home,  and  suffers 
greatly;  for  a  nymph  lives  on  the  island,  the 
daughter  of  great  Atlas,  and  with  sweet  words 
she  strives  to  make  Odysseus  forget  his  native 
land.  But  he  bewails  his  fate  and  is  full  of 
sorrow,  his  only  wish  being  to  have  a  glimpse 
of  the  smoke  of  his  beloved  country." 

Zeus  thereupon  ordered  Hermes  to  depart 
at  once  for  the  island  and  tell  the  nymph  to 
send  Odysseus  to  his  home  without  delay. 
Hermes  obeyed  quickly.  He  bound  his 
winged  sandals  to  his  feet,  and,  taking  his 
golden  wand  in  his  hand,  flew  like  a  meteor 
over  land  and  sea  till  he  reached  the  island 
where  the  nymph  Calypso  made  her  abode. 
He  found  her  within  the  grotto,  singing  sweet- 
ly while  she  wove  a  fine  web  on  a  golden  loom. 

All  about  the  grotto  there  was  a  grove  of 
cypress-trees  in  which  birds  of  gay  colors  were 
sporting  and  springs  of  pure  water  bubbling, 
and  the  fragrance  of  strange  flowers  filled  the 
air.  When  Hermes  had  gazed  upon  these 
wonders  he  entered  the  grotto.  It  was  bright 
with  a  blazing  fire  on  a  spacious  hearth,  and 
fragrant  with  the  odor  of  burning  cedar  and 
cypress. 


Odysseus  on  the  Island  of  Calypso     23 

Calypso  saw  him  as  he  came  in  and  knew 
him.  She  bade  him  sit  down  on  a  throne  daz- 
zling with  jewels,  and,  placing  a  table  before 
him  laden  with  nectar  and  ambrosia,  invited 
him  to  eat  and  drink.  After  he  had  finished 
his  repast,  Hermes  told  her  that  Zeus  had  sent 
him  to  her  with  the  command  that  she  should 
send  Odysseus  without  delay  to  his  native 
land.  Having  given  this  message,  he  disap- 
peared, leaving  Calypso  in  great  grief. 

Odysseus  in  the  meantime  sat  by  the  shore 
mourning  and  gazing  out  upon  the  sea.  Ca- 
lypso found  him  there,  sitting  alone,  weeping 
and  longing  for  his  home.  She  stood  by  him 
and  said :  "  Odysseus,  my  unhappy  friend,  do 
not  waste  thy  life  any  longer  in  sorrow.  The 
end  of  thy  grief  has  come.  Arise  and  prepare 
to  depart  for  thy  home.  Build  thee  a  raft  of 
the  trunks  of  trees  which  thou  shalt  hew  down. 
I  will  put  bread  and  water  and  delicate  wine  on 
board;  and  I  will  clothe  thee  in  comfortable 
garments,  and  send  a  favorable  wind  that  thou 
mayest  safely  reach  thy  native  land." 

Thus  spoke  the  lovely  goddess,  but  Odysseus 
could  hardly  believe  her,  and  said  :  "  I  fear,  O 
goddess,  that  thou  hast  some  other  thought  in 
thy  mind,  and  that  thou  dost  not  wish  to  send 
me  home  when  thou  biddest  me  sail  over  this 


24  Odysseus 

stormy  and  dangerous  sea.  I  shall  never  go  on 
to  the  raft  against  thy  wish,  and  thou  must 
swear  the  great  oath  of  the  gods  that  no  harm 
shall  come  to  me." 

The  goddess  smiled  at  these  words,  and,  tak- 
ing the  hero  by  the  hand,  rejoined  :  "  Thou  art 
a  wise  man,  and  thy  answer  is  well  made.  I 
will  pledge  thee  a  solemn  oath,  by  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  and  the  waters  of  the  Styx,  that 
I  have  no  plan  of  evil  against  thee.  And  I 
advise  thee  to  do  as  I  have  instructed  thee,  to 
be  ready  for  any  crisis." 

Speaking  thus,  the  goddess  went  into  the 
grotto  and  Odysseus  followed  her.  When  he 
had  come  into  the  spacious  hall,  he  sat  down  on 
his  throne  and  the  nymph  brought  him  rich 
food  and  wine.  Then  she  took  a  seat  opposite 
him,  and  her  attendants  brought  her  ambrosia 
and  nectar,  which  she  would  gladly  have  shared 
with  Odysseus,  that  he,  too,  might  become  an 
immortal. 

When  the  repast  was  over,  Calypso  narrated 
to  him  all  the  trials  he  would  have  to  undergo 
before  he  could  reach  his  native  land.  While 
she  was  relating  these  things  the  sun  sank  down, 
and  darkness  came  upon  the  island,  and  all  who 
had  their  abode  in  the  grotto  sought  rest  and 
slumber. 


CHAPTER  VI 

ODYSSEUS    CONSTRUCTS    A    RAFT    AND    LEAVES 
THE  ISLAND 

AT  daybreak  the  goddess  gave  Odysseus  a 
large  axe  and  a  sharp  adze,  and  led  him  to  the 
heights  of  the  island,  where  the  largest  trees 
grew.  He  went  to  work  at  once  and  cut  down 
twenty  trees,  which  he  hewed  into  proper 
shape,  and  then  tied  them  together  with  ropes 
which  he  himself  made  of  bark. 

In  this  way  he  built  a  raft  which  was  very 
large  and  strong  enough  to  stand  the  onset  of 
the  waves.  He  wove  a  railing  of  willow  and 
fitted  it  around  the  sides  of  the  raft,  to  protect 
himself  against  the  dashing  waves ;  and  he  raised 
a  strong  mast  with  sails  shaped  to  it,  and  tightly 
bound  by  cords  and  ropes.  He  filled  the  crev- 
ices of  the  raft  with  wax  and  pitch  and  attached 
a  rudder. 

At  the  end  of  the  fourth  day  his  work  was  all 
done,  and  his  little  ship  was  ready  to  be  launched. 
On  the  fifth  day  the  beautiful  goddess  prepared 
the  hero  a  bath  and  gave  him  new  garments 
fragrant  with  perfumes.  She  went  down  to 
the  boat  with  him  and  put  on  board  a  skin  of 


26  Odysseus 

dark-red  wine,  a  larger  one  full  of  water,  and  a 
bag  of  dainty  food.  Then  she  bade  Odysseus 
a  kind  farewell,  and  sent  a  gentle  and  friendly 
wind  to  waft  him  over  the  waves. 

Odysseus  was  wild  with  joy  at  the  thought 
that  he  was  really  on  his  way  home  once  more. 
He  spread  his  sails  to  catch  the  breeze  and  took 
his  seat  at  the  helm,  steering  the  vessel  with 
great  skill.  He  did  not  dare  to  take  any  sleep, 
for  he  had  to  watch  the  sky  and  stars  constantly 
and  use  them  as  guides  on  his  course.  He 
sailed  along  in  this  way  seventeen  days.  On 
the  eighteenth  he  spied  land  in  the  distance. 
It  was  the  land  of  the  Phaeacians,  lying  like  a 
dark  spot  off  in  the  sea. 

Then  Poseidon,  who  was  returning  from  Ethi- 
opia, saw  him,  and  his  wrath  grew  hot  against 
the  hero.  He  raised  up  his  head  and  said  to 
himself:  "Alas!  the  gods  have  strangely 
changed  their  minds  about  Odysseus  during 
my  absence  in  Africa.  Behold !  in  a  little 
while  he  will  be  in  the  land  of  the  Phseacians, 
where  he  will  find  an  end  to  his  troubles. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  in  my  power  to  chastise 
him." 

Speaking  thus,  Poseidon  called  the  clouds  to- 
gether, and  seizing  his  trident  he  stirred  up  the 
sea ;  then  he  set  loose  all  the  winds  until  there 


Odysseus  Constructs  a  Raft          27 

was  a  general  hurricane,  and  he  wrapped 
heaven  and  earth  in  the  thick  darkness  of 
night. 

The  mighty  waves  dashed  over  the  raft,  and 
Odysseus  sank  on  his  knees  and  trembled. 
With  a  deep  groan  he  said :  "  Ah  me,  unhappy ! 
Am  I  to  bear  more  disasters?  I  fear  that  the 
warning  of  the  goddess  was  too  true,  and  that  I 
shall  be  for  a  long  time  cast  about  on  the  waves 
before  I  reach  home.  With  what  dark  clouds 
Zeus  has  shrouded  the  sky  !  The  storm  grows 
wild.  What  terrible  waves  are  these !  Help- 
lessly I  must  perish.  Happy  the  Greeks  who 
fell  before  Troy,  fighting  for  their  country ! 
Would  that  I,  too,  had  met  death  the  day  when 
the  Trojans  hurled  their  spears  at  me  as  they 
strove  to  take  the  body  of  Achilles.  If  I  had 
died  then,  the  Greeks  would  have  buried  me 
with  great  honors.  Now  I  shall  die  an  inglo- 
rious death." 

As  he  spoke  a  huge  wave  struck  the  raft 
with  such  terrible  force  that  it  whirled  it 
around  and  overturned  it.  The  helm  was 
wrung  from  his  hand  and  he  fell  into  the 
angry  breakers.  The  mast  was  snapped  in 
two  and  the  ropes  and  sails  flew  off  into  the 
sea. 

Odysseus  was  under  water  a  long  time,  striv- 


28  Odysseus 

ing  in  vain  to  come  to  the  surface.  Finally  he 
rose,  spitting  the  bitter  brine  out  of  his  mouth. 
Although  he  was  in  such  a  desperate  plight,  his 
mind  was  on  the  raft.  Battling  bravely  with 
the  waves  he  reached  it,  and  springing  on  board 
sat  down  in  the  middle  of  it.  Thus  he  escaped 
death. 

The  angry  waves  tossed  him  hither  and 
thither  as  the  wind  scatters  the  leaves  over  a 
field.  Then  Ino,  the  daughter  of  Cadmus,  saw 
him  and  took  pity  on  him.  She  took  the  form 
of  a  bird,  and,  perching  on  his  raft,  she  said  to 
him:  "  O,  luckless  man!  why  is  Poseidon  so 
angry  with  thee  ?  Fear  nothing,  however ; 
he  cannot  take  thy  life.  Obey  me  and  thou 
shalt  not  suffer  much  longer.  Lay  aside  thy 
clothes,  leave  the  raft  to  the  mercy  of  the 
winds  and  waves,  and  swim  to  the  land.  Take 
my  veil  and  wind  it  about  thy  breast,  and  thou 
shalt  not  have  anything  to  fear.  As  soon  as 
thou  hast  reached  the  land,  take  it  off  and  throw 
it  back  into  the  sea.  Then  hurry  away  in- 
land." 

Odysseus  hesitated  to  follow  Ino's  advice, 
fearing  some  treachery.  But  Poseidon  sent  a 
huge  wave  which  struck  him  and  scattered  the 
raft  as  if  it  were  dry  chaff.  Then  Odysseus  at 
once  got  astride  of  the  swimming  timber.  He 


Odysseus  is  Saved  29 

bound  the  veil  around  his  breast  and  bravely 
plunged  into  the  boiling  waters. 

Poseidon  saw  him,  and  shaking  his  head  he 
said :  "  I  verily  believe  thou  wilt  come  out  alive 
from  the  sea.  But  the  sea  has  had  thee  long 
enough,  so  that  thou  wilt  know  its  power  here- 
after and  fear  it."  Saying  this  he  lashed  up  his 
horses  and  drove  off. 


CHAPTER  VII 

ODYSSEUS  IS  SAVED  ON  THE  ISLAND  OF  SCHEMA 

ATHENA,  the  daughter  of  Zeus,  seeing  Odys- 
seus struggling  through  the  waves,  pitied  him, 
and  bade  the  winds  become  quiet.  Two  days 
and  two  nights  Odysseus  floated  about,  but  on 
the  third  the  wind  calmed  down  and  the  sea 
became  smooth. 

In  a  short  time  he  found  himself  near  land 
once  more.  But  the  shore  was  wild  and  full 
of  sharp  rocks  and  high  cliffs.  He  could  see 
no  place  on  which  to  set  foot,  and  he  grew 
downhearted.  His  knees  gave  way,  and,  groan- 
ing deeply,  he  cried  out:  "  O,  luckless  one  !  In 
vain  have  I  braved  the  dangers  of  the  sea  to 
escape  death.  Now  all  hope  has  abandoned 


30  Odysseus 

me,  since  there  is  no  way  for  me  to  get  out  of 
the  water.  I  fear  that  when  I  try  to  approach 
the  land  the  waves  will  throw  me  against  the 
cliffs,  and  should  I  try  to  find  a  safe  landing- 
place  by  swimming,  the  surf  may  carry  me 
back  into  the  wild  sea,  where  some  sea-monster 
will  swallow  me  up.  Whatever  I  may  do,  I  see 
no  help  for  me." 

While  he  pondered  over  these  things  a  huge 
wave  cast  him  on  the  foamy  shore.  His  bones 
were  nearly  broken,  and  he  lay  exhausted  until 
the  wave  returned,  when  he  was  hurled  again 
with  great  force  back  into  the  sea.  Now  the 
unfortunate  wanderer  took  to  swimming  as  his 
last  resort,  and  reached  the  mouth  of  a  river, 
where  he  was  able  to  land. 

Too  tired  to  breathe  or  speak,  he  sank  down 
in  a  swoon.  His  knees  and  arms  trembled, 
and  his  whole  body  was  bruised  and  swollen. 
When  his  senses  returned  he  rose  and  untied 
the  veil  that  Ino  had  given  him  and  cast  it  back 
into  the  sea.  Then  he  knelt  down  and  kissed 
the  earth,  and  moved  to  a  sheltered  spot  where 
a  wild  and  a  tame  olive-tree  were  standing 
close  together,  whose  branches  had  mingled 
with  one  another,  and  there  he  found  a  safe 
hiding-place. 

Then  the  godlike  Odysseus  lay  down  on  a 


Nausicad  is  Sent  to  the  River       31 

bed  of  dry  leaves,  covering  himself  up  as  one 
does  an  ember,  lest  it  should  go  out.  Athena 
came  and  poured  sweet  sleep  over  his  eyes,  that 
he  might  find  quiet  rest  after  all  his  toils. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

NAUSICAA  IS  SENT  TO  THE    RIVER  BY  ATHENA 

WHILE  Odysseus  lay  in  a  deep  sleep,  the 
goddess  Athena  went  to  the  royal  dwelling  of 
the  king  of  the  Phasacians,  Alkinoos,  in  order 
to  hasten  the  return  of  Odysseus  to  his  native 
land.  She  entered  the  house,  where  she  found 
Nausicaa,  the  king's  daughter,  sleeping  in  her 
beautiful  chamber.  Near  her  lay  two  maids 
who  served  her. 

Athena  came  as  softly  as  a  breath  of  air, 
and  caused  the  maiden  to  dream  that  her 
marriage-day  was  near  and  that  it  was  her 
duty  to  arise  and  hasten  to  the  place  by  the 
river  where  they  washed  their  clothing.  In 
her  dream  the  princess  seemed  to  hear  Athena 
say  :  "  Nausicaa,  why  art  thou  so  slothful  ?  Thy 
beautiful  robes  lie  neglected  and  thy  wedding- 
day  is  at  hand,  on  which  thou  surely  shouldst 


32  Odysseus 

wear  garments  of  dazzling  whiteness,  and  them 
shouldst  give  such  garments  to  those  maidens 
who  lead  thee  forth  to  thy  bridegroom.  There- 
fore, as  soon  as  day  breaks  thou  must  ask  thy 
father  to  give  thee  a  pair  of  mules,  and  we  will 
hasten  to  the  washing-place  down  by  the  river." 

At  the  first  dawn  of  day  Nausicaa  went  in 
haste  to  her  father  and  mother  to  tell  them  of 
her  dream.  She  found  them  in  their  splendid 
hall.  Her  mother  sat  with  her  maidens  spinning, 
and  the  king  stood  on  the  threshold,  just  going 
forth  to  meet  his  chiefs  in  council.  The  prin- 
cess approached  her  father  and  said :  "  Dearest 
father,  I  pray  that  thou  wilt  give  me  two  mules 
and  a  wagon,  that  I  may  go  with  my  maids  to 
the  river  and  take  all  the  clothes  that  need 
washing,  for  it  becomes  the  king  and  his  sons 
to  wear  clean  garments  when  they  go  to  the 
council  of  the  chiefs.  Thou  hast  five  sons, 
three  of  whom  are  youths  not  wedded,  and  they 
should  be  provided  with  fresh  robes ;  they  will 
need  them  in  the  dance." 

The  king  smiled,  for  he  saw  what  was  in  her 
mind,  and  he  ordered  the  mules.  Then  his  beau- 
tiful daughter  brought  from  the  linen-room  the 
soiled  garments  and  put  them  on  the  wagon, 
while  the  queen  prepared  a  goodly  lunch  of 
cold  meat  and  bread  and  a  skin  of  sweet  wine. 


Nausicaa  is  Sent  to  the  River       33 

Nausicaa  further  received  from  her  mother 
a  bottle  of  fragrant  oil  with  which  to  anoint 
herself  after  the  washing.  Then  she  mounted 
the  wagon,  seized  the  whip  and  reins,  and  drove 
out  of  the  city,  the  maidens  of  her  train  fol- 
lowing her  on  foot. 

When  they  came  to  the  place  where  the  river 
was  flowing  bright  and  clear,  they  unhitched 
the  mules  and  let  them  browse  along  the  bank. 
Then  they  took  their  garments  down  from  the 
wagon  and  tossed  them  into  the  marble  vats 
which  they  had  filled  with  the  limpid  water  of 
the  stream.  When  they  had  washed  them 
clean  they  spread  them  on  the  white  pebbles  to 
dry.  Having  finished  the  task,  they  took  a  bath 
and  anointed  themselves  with  oil.  Then  they 
sat  down  on  the  shore  and  ate  their  lunch. 

The  repast  over,  they  began  to  play  ball. 
First  the  white-armed  Nausicaa  threw  the  ball. 
She  looked  as  tali  and  royal  among  her  maids 
as  did  Artemis,  the  daughter  of  Zeus,  among 
her  nymphs. 

Nausicaa  sang  a  song  as  they  frolicked  on 
the  sand. 

When  it  was  time  to  go  home  they  put  the 
clean  garments  upon  the  wagon  and  harnessed 
up  the  mules.  Just  as  they  started,  Nausicaa 


34  Odysseus 

once  more  threw  the  ball  to  one  of  the  maidens, 
who  failed  to  catch  it.  The  ball  rebounded 
from  the  rocks  and  fell  into  the  river,  at  which 
the  girls  raised  such  a  shout  that  Odysseus, 
who  was  sleeping  close  by,  awoke. 

He  opened  his  eyes  and  sat  up,  saying  to 
himself :  "  Woe  is  rne !  Have  I  reached  a  coun- 
try where  people  dwell?  Are  they  wild  and 
inhospitable,  or  friendly  to  the  stranger  and 
god-fearing  ?  It  seems  to  me  I  heard  cries  of 
women.  Perhaps  they  were  those  of  the 
nymphs  who  inhabit  the  mountain  heights,  the 
springs  of  rivers,  and  the  green  meadows,  or 
those  of  people  who  live  near  by.  But  I  will 
see  who  they  are." 

So  Odysseus  clothed  himself  as  best  he  could, 
by  winding  slender  branches  covered  with 
leaves  about  him,  and  left  the  thicket  where  he 
was  hidden.  He  went  in  the  direction  of  the 
voices,  stalking  along  like  a  great  lion.  When 
the  girls  saw  him  they  shrieked  and  scattered 
in  every  direction.  Nausicaa  alone  stood  her 
ground,  for  Athena  gave  her  courage.  When 
Odysseus  saw  her  he  wondered  which  would 
be  the  better,  to  throw  himself  at  the  feet  of 
the  maiden  and  beg  her  to  give  him  some 
clothes  and  to  show  him  the  way  to  the  city, 
or  to  speak  to  her  with  more  formality. 


Nausicad  is  Sent  to  the  River       35 

It  seemed  better  to  him  to  remain  at  a  dis- 
tance, and  so  he  addressed  her  gently,  saying : 
"  O  queen,  I  know  not  whether  thou  art  a  god- 
dess or  a  woman.  If  thou  art  a  goddess,  I 
should  take  thee  to  be  Artemis,  because  thou 
art  so  tall  and  graceful.  If,  however,  thou  art 
a  mortal,  thrice  happy  thy  father  and  honored 
mother.  Greatly  must  they  rejoice  when  they 
see  their  beautiful  child  in  the  choral  dance. 
But  he  will  be  the  happiest  who  shall  win  thee 
for  a  bride. 

I  once  saw  a  young  palm-tree  growing  up  be- 
side Apollo's  altar  in  the  island  of  Delos.  It 
was  the  most  beautiful  tree  the  earth  ever  pro- 
duced, and  I  gazed  upon  it  with  wonder  and 
reverence.  So  am  I  amazed  at  thy  beauty,  and 
I  fear  to  approach  thee  and  throw  myself  as  a 
suppliant  at  thy  feet,  although  I  am  in  sore  dis- 
tress, for  great  misfortunes  have  befallen  me. 

It  was  only  last  night  that  I  escaped  from 
the  sea.  On  my  way  from  Calypso's  isle  I  was 
driven  about  for  twenty  days  by  the  angry 
waves  in  a  violent  storm.  Now  some  god  has 
cast  me  on  this  shore  to  make  me  undergo  new 
trials,  for  I  do  not  believe  my  sufferings  have 
come  to  an  end.  Have  pity  on  me,  O  queen, 
because  thou  art  the  first  human  being  I  have 
met  after  so  many  misfortunes. 


36  Odysseus 

I  do  not  know  one  person  in  this  country. 
Show  me  thy  city,  I  pray,  and  give  me  an 
old  robe  to  wear,  no  matter  how  coarse  and 
poor,  and  may  the  gods  bestow  all  blessings 
upon  thee." 

Nausicaa  looked  at  Odysseus  in  pity  and 
answered :  "  Stranger,  thou  dost  not  seem  to  me 
to  be  a  man  of  mean  birth  or  breeding,  and 
thou  art  surely  in  distress.  But  it  is  Zeus  who 
distributes  gifts  to  mortals,  both  the  good  and 
the  evil  things  of  life,  and  thou  must  submit  to 
his  will  with  patience. 

Since  thou  hast  come  into  our  land  devoid 
of  all  things,  even  garments,  and  art  helpless,  I 
will  give  thee  clothing  and  tell  thee  the  way  to 
the  city.  And  I  will  tell  thee  about  the  people 
living  in  it,  for  I  am  the  daughter  of  the  king, 
Alkinoos,  who  reigns  over  this  island."  When 
Nausicaa  had  spoken  thus  to  Odysseus,  she 
turned  to  her  maids  and  commanded  them  not 
to  flee  from  the  wanderer,  but  to  bring  him 
food  and  drink,  since  Zeus  sent  the  poor  and 
the  stranger  to  be  .cared  for. 

And  she  told  them  to  lead  him  to  some 
lonely  spot  by  the  side  of  the  river,  where  he 
might  bathe  at  his  ease.  So  the  maids  came 
back  and  led  the  hero  to  a  sheltered  place  and 
laid  a  cloak  and  tunic  on  the  sand,  and  the 


Nausicaa  is  Sent  to  the  River        37 

bottle  of  oil  which  the  queen  had  given  Nau- 
sicaa, that  Odysseus  might  anoint  and  clothe 
himself  after  his  bath;  then  they  ran  back  to 
the  princess. 

Odysseus  bathed  in  the  fresh  water  of  the 
river  and  washed  the  salt  sea-foam  from  his 
hair,  and  when  the  bath  was  over  he  put  on  the 
robes  that  Nausicaa  had  sent.  Athena  shed  a 
halo  of  beauty  over  him  and  caused  him  to 
look  taller  and  stronger  than  before. 

As  he  walked  along  the  beach  to  rejoin  the 
maidens,  they  admired  his  noble  and  kingly 
bearing,  and  Nausicaa  said  to  her  maids: 
"Surely  this  man  does  not  come  among  our 
godlike  brothers  against  the  will  of  the  gods. 
I  thought  him  rough  and  homely  v  but  now  he 
seems  like  one  of  the  immortals.  I  would  that 
I  might  call  a  man  like  him  my  husband.  Make 
haste  to  give  him  food  and  wine,  for  he  has 
fasted  a  long  time." 

The  maids  hastened  to  obey.  They  looked 
over  what  was  left  of  the  abundant  lunch  and 
bade  Odysseus  eat  and  drink,  which  he  was 
glad  to  do.  The  princess  then  yoked  up  the 
mules  and  they  started  for  home. 


CHAPTER   IX 

ODYSSEUS  ARRIVES   AT   THE   PALACE  OF 
ALKINOOS 

AFTER  Nausicaa  had  mounted  to  her  seat 
on  the  cart,  she  said  to  Odysseus :  "  Get  ready 
now,  stranger,  and  we  will  lead  thee  to  my 
father's  palace,  where  thou  wilt  meet  the  chiefs 
of  the  Phaeacians.  If  thou  art  wise,  take  well 
to  heart  what  I  shall  say  to  thee.  As  long  as 
we  are  at  a  good  distance  from  the  city  there 
is  no  harm  in  going  along  with  us.  Just  follow 
close  to  the  wagon  with  my  maids. 

But  when  we  come  near  to  the  town  thou 
must  go  more  slowly  and  tarry  behind  a  little, 
till  we  have  reached  my  father's  hall,  because 
I  dread  the  gossip  of  the  baser  sort  of  people 
whom  we  may  meet.  After  thou  hast  seen  us 
enter  the  city,  then  thou  mayest  enter  it  also 
and  inquire  the  way  to  the  king's  palace.  It  is 
very  beautiful.  Thou  mayest  easily  find  it  by 
thyself,  for  there  is  no  other  house  in  the  city 
as  large  as  ours. 

Enter  at  once  and  find  my  mother  and  sue 
to  her  for  protection  and  help,  that  thou  mayest 
reach  thy  native  land  and  thy  dear  ones  again." 


Odysseus  at  the  Palace  of  Alkinoos     39 

Having  spoken  these  words,  Nausicaa  touched 
the  mules  with  her  long  whip  and  they  quickly 
left  the  river,  wending  their  way  toward  the 
city.  They  reached  it  at  sunset,  but  Odysseus 
sat  down  in  the  sacred  grove  of  Athena,  outside 
of  the  city  to  wait,  and  prayed  to  the  goddess 
that  he  might  receive  pity  from  the  people  of 
Phaeacia. 

While  he  prayed,  the  damsels  went  on  and 
soon  reached  the  king's  palace.  Nausicaa's 
brothers  came  out  and  welcomed  them,  and  un- 
hitched the  mules.  When  Odysseus  had  given 
them  time  to  get  home,  he  arose  and  found  his 
way  to  the  town.  He  had  hardly  entered  it 
when  Athena,  in  the  form  of  a  young  girl  car- 
rying a  pitcher  of  water,  met  him. 

*'  My  daughter,"  Odysseus  said  to  her,  "  canst 
thou  show  me  the  way  to  the  king's  palace  ?  I 
am  a  stranger,  and  here  for  the  first  time." 
Athena  answered  him  :  "  With  pleasure,  stran- 
ger ;  the  king  is  our  neighbor.  Follow  me,  and 
I  will  lead  thee  thither.  But  on  the  way  do 
not  greet  anyone  or  ask  questions,  for  the  peo- 
ple here  are  not  fond  of  those  who  come  from 
other  lands." 

Thus  spoke  Athena  and  pursued  her  way 
with  Odysseus  following  her.  She  threw  a  veil 
of  darkness  over  the  hero  to  hide  him  from 


40  Odysseus 

rude  gazers.  Odysseus  beheld  the  beautiful 
port  with  astonishment — the  large  ships,  the 
great  market-place,  and  the  high  walls  of  the 
city. 

When  they  reached  the  palace,  the  girl 
stopped  and  said:  "This  is  the  house  of  the 
king.  Go  in  without  any  fear,  for  they  love 
brave  men,  even  when  they  come  from  afar. 
The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  find  the  queen, 
whose  name  is  Arete. 

She  is  greatly  honored  by  the  king,  and  all 
the  people  treat  her  as  if  she  were  a  goddess, 
on  account  of  her  gentleness  and  virtue.  In 
case  the  queen  looks  upon  thee  with  favor,  thou 
mayest  be  sure  of  safely  reaching  home." 

Having  spoken  these  words,  the  goddess 
took  a  friendly  leave  of  the  hero,  and  he  en- 
tered the  outer  hall  of  Alkinoos,  where  he  was 
bewildered  by  the  splendor.  The  walls  were 
of  brass,  the  doors  of  gold,  and  the  thresholds 
and  lintels  of  pure  silver.  On  each  side  of  the 
main  entrance  gold  and  silver  dogs  stood 
guard.  They  were  endowed  with  life  and 
were  immortal,  the  work  and  gift  of  the  divine 
Hephaestus. 

There  were  two  rows  of  splendid  seats 
in  the  large  dining-hall.  They  were  covered 
with  costly  mats,  and  the  Phaeacian  leaders 


Odysseus  at  the  Palace  of  Alkinoos    41 

were  wont  to  sit  there  and  enjoy  themselves. 
Golden  statues  of  boys  with  lighted  torches  in 
their  hands  stood  on  beautiful  pedestals  and 
spread  light  over  the  merry  banquets.  There 
were  fifty  maid-servants  in  the  palace.  Some 
of  them  were  grinding  corn  in  the  mill.  Some 
spent  their  time  in  spinning  and  weaving,  for 
as  the  men  were  renowned  sailors,  the  women 
also  were  famous  for  making  fine  cloth. 

There  was  a  large  orchard  all  around  the 
palace,  surrounded  by  a  thick  hedge.  In  the 
orchard  there  was  a  great  variety  of  fruit-trees 
— pear,  apple,  pomegranate,  olive,  and  fig. 
The  trees  were  never  bare  of  fruit,  either  in 
summer  or  in  winter,  for  an  ever-blowing  west 
wind  created  such  a  mild  climate  that  the  trees 
were  constantly  blooming  and  ripening  their 
fruit. 

There  was  to  be  seen  a  tree  full  of  blossoms, 
while  another  bent  down  under  the  load  of 
ripe  fruit.  Thus  it  was  with  the  grape-vines  in 
the  vineyard  close  to  the  orchard.  Some  were 
blooming,  others  had  only  begun  to  form  fruit- 
buds,  while  some  were  loaded  with  ripe  clus- 
ters ready  for  the  wine-press.  At  the  end  of 
the  orchard  there  was  a  magnificent  flower- 
garden,  in  which  the  most  fragrant  flowers 
were  blooming.  Two  springs  also  bubbled 


42  Odysseus 

from  the  ground.  One  watered  the  orchard, 
and  the  other  ran  to  the  very  door  of  the  pal- 
ace, and  all  the  people  filled  their  pitchers 
there.  Such  were  the  gifts  Alkinoos  had  re- 
ceived from  the  gods. 


CHAPTER  X 

ODYSSEUS   IN   THE   HALLS   OF  ALKINOOS 

AFTER  Odysseus  had  contemplated  these  won- 
ders to  his  heart's  content,  he  entered  the  main 
hall.  There  he  found  the  leaders  of  the  Phse- 
acians  bringing  offerings  of  wine  to  Hermes,  as 
the  hour  of  sleep  had  arrived,  and  this  was  al- 
ways their  last  ceremony  before  seeking  slum- 
ber. No  one  saw  Odysseus  as  he  crossed  the 
spacious  room  and  came  close  to  the  king  and 
queen,  for  he  was  still  concealed  in  the  thick 
mist  which  Athena  had  thrown  round  him. 
Suddenly  the  cloud  vanished,  and  Odysseus 
threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  Arete,  and  raised 
his  voice  in  supplication. 

"  Arete,"  he  prayed,  "  I  have  come  to  thy 
husband  and  to  thy  feet  through  many  hard- 
ships and  sorrows.  May  the  gods  give  thee  a 
long  and  happy  life.  For  many  years  I  have 
been  a  wanderer  from  home  and  all  I  love.  I 


Odysseus  in  the  Halls  of  Alkinoos    43 

beg  that  thou  wilt  give  me  a  guide  and  send 
me  to  my  own  land." 

When  Odysseus  had  spoken  these  words  he 
sat  down  amidst  the  ashes,  close  to  the  fire,  and 
all  the  guests  grew  silent  and  looked  at  him 
with  wonder.  Then  the  oldest  of  the  chiefs 
arose  and  said :  "Alkinoos,  this  is  not  a  royal 
seat  for  a  stranger,  among  the  cinders  of  the 
hearth.  I  pray  thee,  raise  him  up  and  place  him 
on  a  throne,  and  order  the  heralds  to  fill  a  cup 
with  wine,  that  we  may  pour  a  libation  to  Zeus, 
the  protector  of  suppliants,  and  bid  the  guest 
welcome  to  our  good  cheer." 

Then  Alkinoos  arose  and  took  Odysseus  by 
the  hand.  He  led  him  to  a  splendid  throne 
but  little  lower  than  his  own,  while  the  herald 
placed  a  table  before  him  loaded  with  dainty 
food.  When  Odysseus  had  eaten  and  drunk, 
the  attendants  filled  the  cups  to  pour  libations 
in  honor  of  Zeus,  and  Alkinoos  said  to  them : 
"  Listen,  ye  leaders  and  chiefs  of  the  Phasa- 
cians.  To-morrow  we  shall  greet  the  stranger  in 
our  palace  with  honors  and  offer  a  great  sacri- 
fice to  the  gods.  And  then  we  will  consider 
the  best  way  of  sending  him  home.  But  if  we 
should  find  that  he  is  a  god  instead  of  a  mortal, 
we  will  do  what  seems  best,  for  the  gods  do 
sometimes  visit  us  in  human  shape." 


44  Odysseus 

Then  said  Odysseus :  "  Nay,  Alkinoos,  I  am 
not  a  god,  nor  like  the  gods  in  form  or  looks.  I 
am  only  a  wanderer,  and  I  could  tell  of  fearful 
sorrows ;  and  I  would  willingly  die  if  I  could 
only  see  my  home  once  more." 

The  guests  all  greeted  Odysseus  with  ap- 
proving words,  and  promised  to  aid  him.  Then 
they  rose,  and  each  man  went  to  his  own  home. 

Odysseus  remained  in  the  hall  with  Aretd 
and  Alkinoos.  As  they  conversed,  the  queen 
noticed  the  garments  of  Odysseus,  because  she 
had  woven  them  herself,  and  she  said  to 
him  :  "  Stranger,  who  art  thou,  and  from  what 
land?  Didst  thou  not  say  thou  hadst  come 
here  after  many  wanderings  and  voyages  on 
the  stormy  sea?  Who  gave  thee  garments  of 
my  weaving?" 

Odysseus  answered  her :  "  It  would  not  be 
easy,  gracious  queen,  to  tell  about  all  my  hard- 
ships and  Sufferings.  Yet  I  will  do  thy  bid- 
ding. I  was  shipwrecked  long  since,  and 
thrown  upon  an  island  far  out  in  the  sea,  where 
Calypso,  the  daughter  of  Atlas,  lives.  She 
cared  for  me  most  kindly,  and  would  have  made 
me,  like  herself,  an  immortal,  but  I  chose  in- 
stead the  hope  of  seeing  my  own  native  land. 

The  goddess  detained  me  seven  long  years 
on  her  island  before  she  bade  me  start  for 


Odysseus  in  the  Halls  of  Alkinoos     45 

home.  I  built  a  raft,  which  she  stored  with 
food,  and  she  sent  a  pleasant  breeze  to  carry 
me  across  the  waters.  But  Poseidon  stirred 
the  winds  and  waves  against  me,  and  I  was 
thrown  upon  the  shores  of  this  island,  near  the 
layers,  where  thy  daughter  and  her  maids  went 
to  wash  the  household  linen.  There  the  prin- 
cess found  me,  and  supplied  me  with  food  and 
the  garments  I  have  on." 

"  One  duty  my  daughter  left  undone,"  Alki- 
noos said.  "  She  should  have  brought  thee 
home  with  her."  "  Do  not  blame  her,  I  en- 
treat," replied  Odysseus,  "  for  she  bade  me 
come  with  her  maids,  but  I  lingered  in  a  grove 
to  offer  a  prayer  to  Athena."  When  Alkinoos 
had  heard  this  tale  from  Odysseus,  he  promised 
once  more  to  give  him  a  ship  and  sailors  to  es- 
cort him  home. 

Meanwhile  the  queen  bade  her  servants  pre- 
pare a  bed  for  the  hero  out  on  the  portico,  and 
they  covered  a  couch  with  shaggy  rugs  and 
purple  tapestries,  where  he  could  rest.  With  a 
grateful  heart  Odysseus  arose,  and,  thanking 
the  king  for  his  generous  hospitality,  sought  the 
bed,  where  he  gave  himself  to  happy  dreams. 

Odysseus  rose  early  the  next  morning  and 
went  with  Alkinoos  to  the  market-place,  close 
to  the  sea,  where  all  the  Phaeacians  had  assem- 


46  Odysseus 

bled.  The  people  gazed  with  admiration  at 
their  stranger-guest,  for  Athena  lent  him  great- 
er dignity  and  beauty,  and  she  went  among  the 
crowds,  moving  their  hearts  to  sympathy  with 
him. 

Alkinoos  then  addressed  the  assembled  mul- 
titude :  "  Hear  me,  ye  chiefs  of  the  Phasacians," 
he  said.  "  This  stranger  has  come  to  our  land 
after  many  wanderings  and  adventures.  And 
he  asks  me  to  send  him  back  to  his  own  coun- 
try. Let  us  fit  out  a  ship  for  him  quickly  and 
launch  it,  and  give  him  fifty-two  young  men 
from  among  our  best  sailors,  who  shall  get 
everything  ready  for  the  long  journey. 

While  they  are  doing  this  the  stranger  shall 
come  to  my  halls  with  the  chiefs  and  princes, 
where  we  will  make  a  great  banquet.  Summon 
also  the  bard,  Demodokos,  that  he  may  enliven 
the  festival  with  his  harp  and  songs." 

Having  spoken,  Alkinoos  rose  and  led  his 
guest  back  to  the  palace,  the  princes  following 
him.  Fifty-two  youths  were  soon  chosen  from 
among  the  best  seamen,  and  they  launched  a 
ship  speedily  and  went  up  to  the  royal  palace. 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE  BANQUET  IN   HONOR  OF  ODYSSEUS 

ALKINOOS  now  ordered  a  sumptuous  feast  in 
honor  of  his  guest  When  the  table  was  spread, 
the  herald  who  had  gone  for  Demodokos  came 
in  leading  the  bard,  who  was  blind.  The  gods 
had  deprived  him  of  sight,  but  had  bestowed 
upon  him  the  gift  of  song.  They  gave  him 
a  seat  on  a  silver  throne,  amid  the  guests, 
and  hung  his  harp  against  a  lofty  pillar,  close 
above  his  head,  where  he  could  easily  reach 
it. 

When  all  had  eaten  and  drunk  as  much  as 
they  desired,  Demodokos  took  his  lyre  and  be- 
gan to  sing  about  the  heroes  of  Troy.  It  was 
a  song  whose  fame  had  reached  over  the  whole 
world,  the  story  of  a  friendly  strife  between 
Achilles  and  Odysseus  before  Troy,  in  which 
Achilles  held  that  Troy  would  fall  by  force, 
but  Odysseus  maintained  that  it  would  come 
to  an  end  through  the  cunning  of  a  few  brave 
Greeks. 

All  the  guests  enjoyed  listening  to  the  thrill- 
ing song,  but  Odysseus  was  deeply  touched,  and 
tears  fell  from  his  eyes.  He  brushed  them 


48  Odysseus 

away  stealthily,  so  that  no  one  should  observe 
them,  and  drew  a  large  purple  veil  over  his 
face  until  the  song  was  finished,  when  he  put 
it  away  and  took  a  goblet  of  wine,  which  he 
poured  out  on  the  ground  as  a  libation  to  the 
gods. 

Again  the  minstrel  took  his  harp  and  sang, 
and  again  Odysseus  wept.  Alkinoos  noticed 
that  the  song  of  Demodokos  moved  Odysseus 
to  tears,  and  thought  it  might  be  well  to  stay 
the  music  awhile  and  begin  the  games,  that  the 
stranger  might  witness  the  athletic  skill  of  the 
Phseacians.  All  the  princes  instantly  arose  and 
walked  down  to  the  market-place,  the  king 
leading  and  the  people  following. 

When  the  chiefs  had  taken  their  seats  a  great 
number  of  young  men  hastened  forward  to  be- 
gin the  games.  Some  of  them  darted  over  the 
plain  in  a  foot-race,  raising  a  cloud  of  dust. 
Others  strove  with  all  their  might  in  wrestling- 
matches,  while  some  threw  the  quoit  or  played 
at  boxing  and  leaping.  After  they  had  enjoyed 
looking  at  the  games,  Laodamas,  a  son  of  Al- 
kinoos, said  to  his  friends  :  "  Let  us  ask  the 
stranger  to  take  part  in  the  games.  His  strong 
arms  and  legs  and  powerful  neck  show  that  he 
is  no  weakling.  Nor  has  he  lost  his  youthful 
vigor  after  all  his  hardships,  although  nothing 


The  Banquet  in  Honor  of  Odysseus     49 

tires  a  man  so  much  as  being  tossed  about  on 
the  sea." 

Then  the  friends  of  Laodamas  advised  him 
to  challenge  Odysseus  to  take  part  in  the 
games ;  and  this  seemed  right  to  the  prince,  so 
he  said  to  him  :  "  Father,  I  think  thou  must  be 
skilful  in  these  games.  Let  us  see  thee  try 
them.  We  will  not  delay  thee  long.  Thy  ship 
is  ready  for  thee  on  the  sea,  and  the  crew  is 
there,  waiting.  But  there  is  no  greater  glory 
or  pleasure  for  a  man  than  to  excel  in  swift- 
ness of  foot  and  strength  of  muscle." 

Odysseus  answered  him  :  "  Why  dost  thou 
urge  me,  O  Laodamas?  How  can  I  take  part 
in  the  games  or  find  any  pleasure  in  them  after 
all  that  I  have  suffered  ?  Here  I  sit,  a  sup- 
pliant, praying  to  be  sent  back  to  my  wife  and 
home."  Then  Euryalos  scoffed  at  him,  saying : 
"  Thou  art  right,  stranger,  for  thy  countenance 
shows  thou  art  anything  but  an  athlete. 

Methinks  thou  art  the  owner  of  some  mer- 
chant-vessel. Thou  art  a  trader,  whose  head  is 
full  of  bargains.  Such  men  can  take  heed  of 
nothing  except  how  to  increase  wealth." 

These  mocking  words  vexed  Odysseus,  and 
he  retorted  :  "  My  friend,  thou  dost  not  speak 
like  a  man  of  good  mind.  The  gods  do  not 
bestow  their  gifts  equally  on  all  men.  To  thee 


50  Odysseus 

they  have  given  great  beauty,  but  they  have 
denied  thee  wit.  Thy  words  carry  no  weight. 
Learn,  then,  that  I  am  not  unskilled  in  the 
games.  When  I  was  young  and  strong  I  was 
one  of  the  best  athletes.  But  even  now,  after 
all  my  shipwrecks  and  hardships,  I  will  strive 
with  thee,  for  thy  words  are  offensive  and  chal- 
lenge me  to  the  proof." 

Having  said  this,  Odysseus  seized  a  much 
larger  and  heavier  quoit  than  the  Phseacian 
prince  could  use,  and  swinging  it  in  his  power- 
ful hand  he  hurled  it  forth.  The  stone  whirred 
through  the  air  and  fell  to  the  ground  away 
beyond  the  marks  of  the  other  disks.  Then 
Athena  took  the  form  of  a  Phseacian  and  set 
a  mark  where  the  quoit  fell,  and  exclaimed  as 
she  did  so :  "  Stranger,  even  a  blind  man  could 
easily  find  thy  mark,  for  it  is  far  beyond  the 
others.  Sit  down  in  peace  and  do  not  fear  that 
anybody  else  can  throw  so  far."  Odysseus  was 
pleased  when  he  heard  these  friendly  words. 
With  a  light  heart  he  said  to  the  Phasacian 
youths :  "  Reach  my  mark,  if  you  can,  young 
men,  and  I  will  send  a  stone  farther  yet.  But 
if  you  cannot  reach  it,  and  prefer  a  match  at 
boxing  or  wrestling  or  foot-race,  come  forth.  I 
am  ready  to  try  any  of  the  games  with  you.  I 
can  throw  a  spear  farther  than  any  of  you  can 


The  Banquet  in  Honor  of  Odysseus     51 

shoot  an  arrow.  I  fear  nothing  unless  it  may 
be  the  foot-race,  for  I  have  lost  my  strength 
\rith  want  of  food  and  being  tossed  by  the 
waves." 

He  ended,  and  King  Alkinoos  stepped  for- 
ward, for  the  young  men  were  all  silent. 
"  Stranger,"  he  said,  "  thou  art  our  dearly  loved 
guest,  and  no  one  can  doubt  thy  bravery.  We 
do  not  boast  that  we  are  fine  boxers  or  wrest- 
lers. We  excel  in  the  dance  and  are  unsur- 
passed in  sailing  ships.  Come,  then,  young 
men,  show  your  skill  in  dancing,  that  our  guest 
may  tell  his  people  when  he  reaches  his  home 
how  much  we  outdo  all  others  in  that  art.  And 
let  a  herald  hasten  to  the  palace  and  bring 
the  lyre  of  Demodokos,  which  has  been  left 
there." 

The  young  men  arranged  themselves  in  two 
rows  on  the  polished  floors  and  began  the  dance, 
while  the  minstrel,  standing  in  their  midst, 
played  on  the  lyre  and  sang  most  sweetly. 
Od^-sseus  looked  on  and  greatly  admired  the 
swift  and  rhythmical  movements  of  their  feet. 
All  danced  very  well ;  but  two  of  the  sons  of 
the  king  came  out  and  danced  alone,  for  none 
of  the  others  equalled  them.  One  of  them  held 
a  golden  ball  in  his  hand,  and  bending  back- 
ward threw  it  so  high  that  it  seemed  to  touch 


5  2  Odysseus 

the  clouds.  The  other  sprang  up  and  caught 
it  easily  before  it  touched  the  ground. 

They  both  danced,  going  through  intricate 
and  rhythmical  figures,  while  the  other  young 
men  stood  around  in  a  circle  and  clapped  their 
hands,  keeping  time.  Then  Odysseus  said  to 
Alkinoos :  "  Truly,  no  one  excels  the  Phseacian 
princes  in  dancing.  I  see  the  twinkling  of  their 
feet  with  amazement." 

These  words  pleased  Alkinoos  greatly,  and 
he  said  to  his  people :  "  Listen,  my  chiefs,  for 
our  guest  seems  to  be  a  wise  man.  It  becomes 
us  now  to  bestow  upon  him  the  gifts  of  hospi- 
tality. In  this  land  there  are  twelve  kings. 
I  am  the  thirteenth.  Let  each  one  of  us  bring 
a  fine  cloak,  and  a  tunic,  and  a  talent  of  gold, 
that  our  guest  may  see  them  before  he  partakes 
of  the  evening  banquet.  And  let  Euryalos, 
who  spoke  such  scoffing  words  to  him,  try  to 
win  back  his  friendship  and  bring  a  costly 
gift."  All  the  chiefs  approved  the  words  of 
King  Alkinoos,  and  each  one  sent  a  servant  to 
his  house  to  bring  a  valuable  present. 

Euryalos  cheerfully  obeyed  the  king.  He 
brought  a  brass  sword  with  a  silver  hilt  to 
Odysseus,  and  said :  "  My  father,  if  I  have  ut- 
tered any  offensive  word  to  thee,  may  the  winds 
scatter  all  remembrance  of  it.  May  the  gods 


The  Banquet  in  Honor  of  Odysseus     53 

grant  thee  a  speedy  return  to  thy  country,  where 
thou  shalt  see  thy  wife  and  friends  from  whom 
thou  hast  so  long  been  separated." 

Odysseus  answered  :  "  Hail  to  thee,  also,  my 
friend  !  May  the  gods  give  thee  all  that  there 
is  good,  and  may  no  need  of  this  sword  ever 
come  to  thee."  Odysseus  took  the  sword  and 
threw  it  across  his  shoulders. 

The  sun  had  set,  and  the  servants  carried 
the  gifts  to  the  royal  palace,  where  the  queen 
took  care  of  them.  King  Alkinoos  led  the  way 
to  the  palace,  his  guest  at  his  side  and  the 
princes  following.  When  they  had  taken  their 
seats  on  high  thrones,  the  king  told  his  wife  to 
lay  the  royal  presents  in  a  chest,  adding  a  much 
richer  cloak  and  tunic  than  anyone  else  had 
given  as  a  gift  from  himself. 

Aret&  did  as  her  husband  wished,  and  placed 
a  beautiful  cup  of  gold  also  in  the  chest,  and 
led  Odysseus  up  to  look  at  the  presents.  Then 
she  taught  him  how  to  lock  the  chest  and  un- 
lock it,  and  her  maids  called  him  to  a  warm 
bath,  after  which  he  anointed  himself  with  fra- 
grant oil  and  put  on  fresh  garments. 

While  he  was  wending  his  way  to  the  men 
who  sat  before  their  wine,  he  met  Nausicaa  in 
her  goddess-like  beauty,  standing  near  a  pillar. 
"  Stranger,  farewell,"  she  said.  "  I  wish  thee 


54  Odysseus 

joy  and  a  safe  return  to  thy  native  land.  Do 
not  forget  that  I  was  the  first  to  befriend  thee 
in  the  land  of  the  Phaeacians." 

Odysseus  answered :  "  May  the  gods  be  as 
sure  to  favor  my  return  to  my  home  as  I 
shall  be  to  make  a  prayer  daily  in  thy  behalf, 
fair  maiden,  who  hath  saved  my  life."  Then 
Odysseus  entered  the  great  hall  and  took  his 
place  at  the  feast. 


CHAPTER    XII 

ODYSSEUS   RELATES   HIS   ADVENTURES 

WHEN  they  had  all  eaten  and  drunk  to  their 
hearts'  content,  the  hero  begged  Demodokos  to 
sing  about  the  invention  of  the  wooden  horse 
with  which  Odysseus  had  artfully  tricked  the 
Trojans  to  their  own  destruction. 

The  minstrel  felt  the  inspiration  of  the  song, 
and  began  where  the  Greeks  threw  firebrands 
into  their  own  tents  and  sailed  away  from  Troy, 
pretending  that  they  had  given  up  the  war. 

He  told  how  the  Trojans  wondered  what  to 
do  with  the  huge  wooden  horse  which  the 
enemy  had  left  in  their  city,  whether  to  hew  it 
to  pieces  and  burn  it,  or  to  drag  it  to  the  edge 
of  a  high  rock  and  throw  it  over,  or  whether  to 


Odysseus  Relates  His  Adventures     55 

spare  it  as  an  act  of  reverence  to  the  gods. 
This  last  was  done,  and  in  the  night  Odysseus 
and  his  men  came  out  of  the  great  wooden  trap 
and  set  fire  to  the  city  while  the  men  of  Troy 
slept. 

As  Demodokos  sang,  tears  rolled  down  the 
cheeks  of  Odysseus,  but  no  one  noticed  his 
weeping  except  the  king,  who  said :  "  It  is  bet- 
ter to  stop  the  song  of  Demodokos,  as  it  does 
not  delight  us  all.  Ever  since  the  bard  began 
to  sing,  our  guest  has  been  weeping.  He  car- 
ries some  great  trouble  in  his  heart.  Let  the 
song  cease,  and  let  us  all  make  merry.  Let  no 
grief  mar  our  banquet.  And,  honored  stranger, 
tell  us  the  name  of  thy  father,  and  the  city 
which  is  thy  home.  Our  seamen  shall  take  thee 
safely  to  thine  own  land,  although  there  is  a 
prophecy  that  one  of  our  good  ships  shall  be 
changed  into  a  high  rock,  to  stand  forever  in 
front  of  our  city,  if  we  show  such  courtesies  to 
strangers. 

Tell  us  truly  who  thou  art  and  whither  thou 
hast  roamed,  what  tribes  of  men  thou  hast 
seen,  and  why  thou  dost  weep  when  the  min- 
strel sings  of  Troy.  Didst  thou  lose  a  noble 
kinsman  there,  or  a  dear  friend  ?  For  a  friend 
is  often  dearer  than  a  brother."  Odysseus  re- 
plied :  "  In  truth,  O  king,  it  is  a  pleasant  thing 


56  Odysseus 

to  listen  to  a  bard  like  Demodokos,  for  his 
voice  is  as  sweet  as  the  voice  of  a  god. 

And  I  cannot  think  of  anything  more  de- 
lightful than  the  joy  of  a  contented  people  lis- 
tening to  a  great  poet  and  singer  while  seated 
at  a  feast  in  a  royal  hall.  But  I  pine  to  be  at 
home,  and  I  will  declare  my  name  and  tell  the 
story  of  my  sufferings. 

I  am  the  chieftain  Odysseus,  son  of  Laertes, 
and  widely  known  to  fame.  I  dwell  in  sunny 
Ithaca,  whose  high  mountains  are  seen  from 
afar,  covered  with  rustling  trees.  Around  it  are 
many  smaller  islands,  full  of  people.  Ithaca 
has  low  shores  on  the  east.  It  is  a  rugged 
island,  but  it  is  the  sweetest  land  on  earth, 
and  has  a  noble  race  of  mortals.  When  the 
Trojan  war  was  at  an  end,  I  started  for  home 
with  my  twelve  ships,  but  a  contrary  wind 
drove  us  to  Ismaros,  the  city  of  the  Kikoni- 
ans. 

We  captured  it  and  put  the  inhabitants  to 
the  sword.  Then  I  exhorted  my  comrades  to 
fly,  but,  like  madmen,  they  remained  on  the 
sea-shore.  Then  they  slaughtered  a  large  num- 
ber of  sheep  and  oxen  and  made  a  feast.  The 
Kikonians  called  on  their  strong  neighbors  to 
come  and  help  them,  and  they  came  in  swarms 
with  their  brazen  spears.  They  fell  upon  our 


The  Lotus-Eaters  and  the  Cyclops     57 

men  and    killed  six  of   them   from  each  ship, 
and  drove  the  rest  back  to  their  boats. 

Brisk  handling  of  our  oars  soon  carried  us 
out  into  the  sea,  but  Jove  sent  a  hurricane  that 
tore  our  sails  and  split  our  masts,  so  that  our 
sailors  drew  them  into  the  ships  in  fear.  Two 
days  and  nights  we  lay  helpless  in  our  boats, 
worn  out  with  fear  and  grief,  but  the  third  day 
the  sun  shone  on  us  again,  and  we  raised  the 
masts  and  sails  to  take  the  breeze,  hoping  to 
reach  our  own  land. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THE   LOTUS-EATERS    AND   THE  CYCLOPS 

WE  sailed  onward  in  a  westerly  direction, 
heading  for  the  Grecian  shore,  and  thought 
our  trials  would  soon  be  at  an  end.  But  in 
this  we  were  disappointed,  for  when  we  were 
about  to  round  the  cape  at  the  southern  point 
of  Greece,  we  met  an  evil  wind  which  always 
blows  there,  and  it  drove  us  far  to  the  east,  be- 
yond the  island  of  Cythera. 

Nine  days  and  nine  nights  we  were  driven 
about  on  the  sea  by  the  violent  storm,  and  on 
the  tenth  we  reached  the  land  of  the  Lotus- 
eaters.  These  men  eat  flowers  that  look  like 


58  Odysseus 

water-lilies,  and  they  have  no  other  food.  We 
landed  on  the  shore  of  the  mainland,  and  my 
comrades  took  their  evening  meal  close  to  the 
boats. 

When  our  hunger  was  satisfied,  I  sent  out  two 
of  the  best  men  to  explore  the  country  about 
and  find  out  what  sort  of  people  the  Lotus- 
eaters  were.  I  sent  a  herald  with  them,  whom 
they  might  send  back  with  the  news. 

They  soon  found  themselves  among  the 
Lotus-eaters,  who  were  gentle  and  friendly, 
and  gave  them  the  lotus  plant  to  eat.  This 
food  is  pleasant  to  the  taste,  but  dangerous ; 
for  anyone  who  eats  of  it  loses  all  desire  to 
return  to  his  own  home.  He  forgets  his  cares 
and  troubles,  but  also  his  friends. 

As  soon  as  my  comrades  had  eaten  of  the  lo- 
tus, they  became  attached  to  the  Lotus-eaters, 
and  desired  to  remain  with  them.  They  wept 
bitterly  when  I  commanded  them  to  return  to 
the  ships,  and  I  was  obliged  to  force  them  to  go. 

I  bound  them  down  to  the  benches  in  the 
ships,  and  the  whole  company  went  on  board 
in  haste  lest  they  should  never  think  of  their 
homes  again.  Each  man  bent  to  his  oars,  and 
the  waves  were  soon  white  with  the  beating  of 
the  ships  against  them  as  we  sailed  with  all 
haste  in  the  direction  of  our  own  land. 


We  sailed  about  on  unknown  seas  and  with 
sorrowing  hearts  until  we  came  to  the  land  of 
the  Cyclops.  They  are  a  wild  people  who  have 
no  laws.  They  never  plough  the  fields  nor  plant 
them,  for  everything  grows  of  its  own  accord 
— wheat,  and  barley,  and  the  vine.  The  grapes 
yield  good  wine.  The  Cyclops  do  not  come 
together  in  a  friendly  way,  but  live  in  caves 
near  the  mountain  tops,  each  one  in  his  own 
den.  They  do  not  care  much  for  one  another, 
and  each  rules  his  wife  and  children  as  he  likes. 

There  is  a  little  woody  island  lying  at  the 
entrance  to  the  land  of  the  Cyclops,  on  which 
swarm  numberless  wild  goats,  never  disturbed 
by  human  beings,  for  the  Cyclops  have  no  ships 
to  take  them  over.  This  island  is  very  fertile, 
but  there  are  no  sheep  to  eat  the  grass  and 
no  people  to  plough  the  fields.  The  goats  are 
the  only  inhabitants.  The  island  has  a  harbor 
which  is  safe,  and  the  ships  that  enter  it  have 
no  need  of  anchors  or  fastenings. 

In  the  midst  of  the  harbor  there  is  a  cliff, 
from  which  bubbles  forth  a  spring  of  excellent 
water,  and  poplar-trees  grow  all  around  it.  The 
soil  is  so  rich  it  might  bear  all  kinds  of  fruit,  if 
there  were  anyone  to  plant  them.  There  are 
beautiful  meadows  all  along  the  coast,  which 
are  gay  with  yellow  fruit  and  pink  blossoms. 


60  Odysseus 

We  were  shaping  our  course  toward  this 
island,  and  a  good  breeze  brought  us  there  on 
a  dark  night.  The  moon  did  not  shine  and 
none  of  the  crew  saw  the  land  until  we  were 
upon  the  shore.  We  lowered  our  sails  and 
rested  there  until  morning.  When  daylight 
appeared  we  beheld  with  wonder  the  island 
where  the  wild  goats  abounded.  My  comrades 
walked  around,  admiring  the  beauty  of  the 
place,  while  the  nymphs,  daughters  of  Zeus, 
roused  the  goats  that  they  might  give  us  milk. 
We  took  our  bows  and  arrows  from  the  ships 
immediately  and,  forming  three  hunting-parties, 
killed  a  great  number  of  the  nimble  creatures. 
Each  of  my  twelve  ships  received  nine  goats  as 
its  share,  but  mine  received  ten.  The  remainder 
of  the  day  we  passed  in  eating  and  drinking. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

THE   CAVE   OF   THE   CYCLOPS 

THE  next  day  I  started  with  twelve  men,  the 
crew  of  my  own  ship,  to  find  out  what  kind  of 
men  inhabited  the  country  opposite  us,  leaving 
all  the  other  boats  and  their  men  on  the  island- 
When  we  sailed  up  to  the  coast  of  the  main- 
land, we  heard  the  voices  of  giants,  and  the 


The  Cave  of  the  Cyclops  61 

bleating  of  their  sheep  and  goats.  And  we  saw 
a  cave  with  a  high  roof,  over  whose  entrance 
grew  laurel  shrubs,  and  many  cattle,  sheep,  and 
goats  were  lying  around  at  rest.  We  found  an 
enclosure  of  rough  stone  in  the  form  of  a  court, 
with  tall  pines  and  leafy  oaks  at  the  mouth  of 
the  cave. 

The  largest  giant  of  all  the  race  of  Cyclops 
dwelt  there  and  took  care  of -his  cattle  all  alone. 
Usually  he  spent  his  time  prowling  all  by  him- 
self around  the  mountains.  He  had  nothing  to 
do  with  his  neighbors,  but  led  a  solitary  life, 
plotting  wicked  deeds.  He  looked  more  like  a 
huge  mountain  top,  with  shaggy  overhanging 
forests,  towering  above  other  mountains,  than 
a  human  being. 

We  were  soon  inside  the  cave,  but  we  did  not 
find  the  owner  at  home.  We  had  carried  with  us 
a  wine-skin  full  of  wine  which  a  priest  of  Apol- 
lo had  given  us.  The  wine  was  very  fragrant 
and  so  pleasant  that  no  one  who  had  once  tasted 
it,  could  let  it  alone.  We  had  taken  along  a 
basket  of  food  also,  for  fear  of  meeting  with 
men  of  great  strength  and  no  sense  of  the 
courtesy  due  to  strangers. 

As  we  looked  around  the  cave  we  wondered 
at  what  we  saw.  There  were  baskets  all  about 
heaped  with  cheeses,  and  pens  of  lambs  sepa- 


6  2  Odysseus 

rated  into  three  folds,  the  older  in  one  pen, 
the  younger  in  another,  and  the  youngest  in  a 
third.  And  there  were  pails  full  of  whey,  and 
buckets  of  milk.  My  companions  ate  as  much 
of  the  cheese  as  they  liked,  after  which  they 
begged  to  drive  all  the  lambs  and  kids  down 
to  the  ship. 

But  I  would  not  allow  this.  It  was  my  wish 
to  stay  there  and  see  the  cave-dweller  and  find 
out  what  kind  of  a  man  he  was.  I  thought  he 
would  give  me  a  handsome  present,  according 
to  the  laws  of  hospitality.  It  was  cold  in  the 
cave,  so  we  lit  a  fire  and  sat  down  to  wait  for 
the  owner  to  arrive. 

He  came  toward  evening,  carrying  a  load  of 
wood  on  his  back,  which  he  threw  down  with 
such  a  crash  that  my  men  ran  with  terror 
into  the  corners  of  the  cave.  The  giant  drove 
all  such  sheep  and  goats  as  would  give  him 
milk  into  the  cave,  leaving  the  others  in  the 
outside  court,  and  then  closed  up  the  entrance 
with  a  rock  so  large  that  twenty-four  four- 
wheeled  wagons  could  not  have  moved  it. 
Having  done  this,  he  sat  down  and  milked  the 
sheep  and  goats  and  gave  to  each  its  young  one. 

Next,  he  curdled  half  of  the  milk  and  put 
the  curd  into  woven  baskets,  but  he  kept  the 
other  half  for  his  evening  meal.  When  he  had 


Tke  Cave  of  the  Cyclops  63 

ended  this  work  he  lit  a  fire,  and  seeing  the 
strangers  he  began  to  ask  them  questions,  to 
find  out  who  they  were.  His  voice  was  deep 
and  frightful,  like  the  rumbling  of  a  volcano, 
and  our  hearts  trembled,  but  I  found  words  to 
answer  him :  '  We  are  Greeks,  and  come  from 
Troy.  It  was  our  intention  to  return  home, 
but  contrary  winds  have  driven  us  on  this 
shore. 

We  belong  to  the  army  of  Agamemnon, 
whose  fame  is  very  great  because  he  has  over- 
come a  strong  city  and  conquered  many  na- 
tions. But  now  we  throw  ourselves  at  thy  feet 
and  pray  that  thou  wilt  receive  us  as  guests,  or 
else  give  us  the  gifts  that  are  due  to  strangers, 
lest  the  gods  avenge  us.' 

Having  said  this,  I  stopped,  but  the  Cy- 
clops told  us  that  we  were  fools  to  believe  in 
the  gods.  •  The  Cyclops,'  he  said,  '  care  noth- 
ing for  the  gods.  .  We  are  better  than  they  are. 
If  I  spare  thee  it  will  be  of  my  own  free  will, 
and  not  for  fear  of  the  gods.  But  where  are 
thy  ships?  Are  they  near  here  or  far  off?' 
This  he  said  hoping  to  deceive  us,  but  I  saw 
through  his  trick,  and  replied:  'The  storm 
has  thrown  our  ships  upon  the  cliffs  and  broken 
them  to  pieces,  and  we  had  to  swim  for  our 
lives.' 


64  Odysseus 

The  cruel  monster  did  not  answer  me  again, 
but  he  seized  two  of  my  companions  and 
dashed  them  to  the  ground  with  such  force 
that  they  died  on  the  spot.  He  devoured  them 
as  a  lion  devours  his  prey.  He  left  nothing 
of  them,  neither  bones  nor  flesh  nor  hair.  We 
wept  aloud  and  prayed  to  Zeus  with  our  hearts 
full  of  despair. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  BLINDING   OF   THE   CYCLOPS 

WHEN  the  monster  had  filled  himself  with 
food,  he  stretched  out  on  the  floor  of  the  cave 
to  sleep.  Then  the  thought  came  to  me  to 
thrust  a  sword  into  his  heart.  But  this  was 
not  a  wise  course  to  take,  because  we  should 
never  have 'been  able  to  remove  the  stone  from 
the  entrance  to  the  cave. 

We  passed  the  night  in  mourning  and  lamen- 
tations. As  soon  as  daylight  appeared,  the 
Cyclops  woke  up  and  lit  a  fire  and  milked  his 
sheep  again.  Then  he  seized  two  more  of  my 
companions  and  devoured  them.  When  his 
morning  meal  was  done  he  rolled  the  stone 
back  from  the  door  and  drove  his  beasts  out, 
not  forgetting  to  secure  the  entrance.  We 


The  Blinding  of  the  Cyclops         65 

could  hear  his  noisy  shouts  afar  off  as  he  led 
his  flocks  over  the  grassy  heights,  and  we  be- 
gan to  make  plans  to  destroy  him. 

We  found  a  great  club  of  green  olive-wood 
in  the  cave ;  one  that  the  Cyclops  had  cut  for 
his  own  use.  It  was  as  large  as  the  mast  of  a 
ship,  and  he  had  laid  it  away  to  dry.  I  cut  off 
a  fathom's  length  from  this  club  and  handed 
the  piece  to  my  companions,  who  smoothed  off 
its  sides  and  sharpened  it  at  one  end.  This 
being  done,  I  put  the  sharp  end  of  it  into  the 
fire.  The  stick  became  very  hard,  and  then  I 
hid  the  weapon  under  a  heap  of  litter  which 
was  piled  up  in  the  cave.  We  cast  lots  to  see 
who  should  assist  me  to  put  out  the  eye  of  the 
Cyclops  when  he  was  asleep. 

When  evening  came  the  Cyclops  returned 
to  the  cave  with  his  fat  sheep  and  kids.  He 
seemed  to  suspect  that  there  was  mischief  afoot, 
for  he  did  not  leave  any  of  them  outside. 
After  milking  the  ewes  and  goats  he  again 
seized  two  of  my  companions  and  made  his 
supper  of  them.  But  I  filled  a  large  drinking- 
vessel  with  the  wine  from  our  wine-skin  and 
stepped  boldly  out  and  said  to  him  :  '  Here  is 
a  cup  of  wine  which  I  brought,  hoping  that 
thou  wouldst  spare  my  life,  O  Cyclops,  for  thy 
wrath  is  boundless.'  He  took  the  cup  and 


66  Odysseus 

drank.  The  wine  delighted  him  greatly,  and 
he  handed  me  the  cup  after  emptying  it  and 
said :  '  Give  me  another  draught  and  tell  me 
thy  name.  I  will  give  thee  a  generous  gift, 
such  as  becomes  a  host.  We,  too,  have  wine, 
but  not  such  as  yours.  That  tastes  like  nectar 
and  ambrosia.' 

Three  times  I  filled  the  cup  and  brought  it 
to  him,  and  three  times  the  Cyclops  drank  it 
like  a  madman.  When  the  wine  had  over- 
powered him,  I  said  to  him :  '  Cyclops,  thou 
dost  wish  to  know  my  name,  and  I  will  tell  it, 
but  thou  must  give  me  the  present  thou  hast 
promised.  My  name  is  Nobody.  My  father 
and  mother  gave  me  this  name  and  my  friends 
all  call  me  by  it.'  'Then,'  said  the  Cyclops, 
'  I  shall  eat  Nobody  last  of  all.  This  is  my 
present.' 

After  these  words  he  fell  asleep  and,  being 
very  drunk,  he  began  to  spew  out  the  wine  and 
flesh  he  had  taken.  I  took  the  piece  of  olive- 
wood  which  my  men  had  sharpened  and  put 
the  point  of  it  into  the  fire  and  held  it  there 
until  it  was  a  glowing  coal.  My  comrades 
stood  near  me  and  I  encouraged  them  with 
brave  words.  We  thrust  the  burning  stick 
into  the  Cyclops'  eye  and  put  it  out.  He 
howled  with  pain,  and,  stung  to  madness, 


Odysseus  Leaves  the  Cyclops          67 

he  seized  the  stick  and  flung  it  across  the 
cave. 

He  called  to  the  other  Cyclops,  who  lived 
in  divers  caves  on  the  surrounding  mountains, 
while  we  hid  ourselves  in  fear  in  the  most 
remote  corners  of  the  cave.  The  giants  heard 
him  and  came  running  to  help  him,  but  they 
could  not  get  into  the  cave.  They  stood  near 
the  stone,  close  to  the  door,  and  called  out : 
'What  ails  thee,  Polyphemus?  Is  anyone 
trying  to  kill  thee?'  'Woe  is  me!'  cried 
Polyphemus,  '  Nobody  is  trying  to  kill  me.' 
4  Then  why  dost  thou  shout  and  cry  for  help?' 
said  they.  '  If  nobody  hurts  thee,  then  thou 
art  not  hurt.' 

With  these  words  they  went  off,  and  we  re- 
joiced greatly  that  my  trick  had  deceived  them. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

ODYSSEUS    AND     HIS    COMPANIONS    LEAVE    THE 
LAND   OF   THE   CYCLOPS 

POLYPHEMUS,  groaning  with  pain,  tried  to 
feel  his  way  with  his  hands  to  the  mouth  of 
the  cavern.  Having  succeeded  in  this,  he 
rolled  back  the  stone  and  sat  down  at  the 
entrance  and  stretched  out  his  hands  in  order 


68  Odysseus 

to  catch  us  if  we  should  happen  to  try  to  get 
out  among  the  sheep. 

But  we  were  not  so  foolish  as  to  be  caught 
in  this  way.  There  were  in  the  cave  a  number 
of  stout  and  woolly  rams.  Of  these  I  put  three 
abreast  and  tied  them  together  with  twigs  that 
happened  to  be  in  the  cave.  Under  each  mid- 
dle ram  I  tied  one  of  my  companions.  The 
two  sheep,  one  on  each  side  of  him,  hid  the 
man  completely.  For  myself  I  selected  the 
stoutest  ram  of  the  flock,  and,  seizing  his  long 
shaggy  wool  with  my  hands,  held  fast  to  him 
with  my  knees  and  arms. 

The  sun  rose  and  the  animals  began  to  hasten 
out  to  the  pastures.  The  Cyclops,  though 
nearly  exhausted  with  pain,  passed  his  hands 
over  the  backs  of  the  sheep  to  find  out  whether 
any  of  us  were  trying  to  ride  out  of  the  cave. 
He  did  not  find  out  our  trick,  and  my  com- 
panions all  escaped  safely.  Last  of  all,  the  ram 
that  carried  me  came  to  the  door,  because  I 
was  so  heavy  that  he  could  hardly  walk  with 
me  hanging  to  him. 

Polyphemus  felt  of  his  back  and  recognized 
him  at  once  as  his  favorite  ram,  and  said : 
'Dearest  of  all  my  sheep,  why  dost  thou  go 
last?  Commonly  thou  wert  the  first  of  the 
flock  to  hasten  to  the  rich  pasture  and  the  cool 


Odysseus  Leaves  the  Cyclops         69 

spring,  just  as  thou  wert  the  first  in  the  even- 
ing to  return  to  thy  manger.  But  to-day  thou 
art  last  of  all.  Dost  thou  grieve  because  thy 
master  hath  lost  his  eye,  which  Nobody  has  put 
out?  But  wait  a  little.  He  shall  not  escape 
death.  Couldst  thou  only  speak,  my  ram,  thou 
wouldst  tell  me  at  once  where  the  scoundrel  is  ; 
then  thou  shouldst  see  how  I  would  dash  him 
against  the  rocks.' 

Speaking  such  words  as  these,  he  let  the  ram 
go.  When  we  were  safely  out  of  the  cave,  we 
gladly  took  to  our  feet  and  drove  the  fat  sheep 
down  to  our  boat  with  all  haste.  Our  friends 
received  us  with  tears  of  joy,  for  they  thought 
we  had  surely  perished.  I  made  signs  to  them 
not  to  weep  aloud,  and  to  hurry  the  sheep  on 
board  the  ship.  They  did  this  with  all  haste, 
and  each  man  took  his  place  at  the  oars. 

When  we  were  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
Cyclops,  I  called  out  to  tease  him,  'Ha!  Cy- 
clops, Cyclops,  thou  hast  not  been  entertaining 
a  coward.  Zeus  and  the  other  gods  have 
avenged  the  brave  men  whom  thou  didst  so 
cruelly  destroy.' 

The  Cyclops  heard  my  words  and  grew  furi- 
ous. He  seized  a  large  rock  and  threw  it  with 
all  his  might  toward  the  place  where  he  had 
heard  my  voice. 


70  Odysseus 

The  rock  fell  in  front  of  my  ship,  and  the 
waves  which  it  raised  carried  us  back  on  shore. 
I  seized  a  large  pole  and  shoved  the  boat  back 
into  the  water,  commanding  my  men  to  ply 
their  oars  vigorously,  that  we  might  escape  de- 
struction. My  companions  begged  me  not  to 
excite  the  dangerous  monster  further  ;  but  when 
we  were  a  long  way  out  I  shouted  to  him  : 
'  Cyclops,  if  ever  anybody  asks  thee  who  put 
out  thine  eye,  tell  him  it  was  Odysseus,  the  son 
of  Laertes,  conqueror  of  Troy.' 

When  Polyphemus  heard  these  words  he 
gave  a  deep  groan,  and  said  to  me :  '  Truly  did 
the  wise  seer,  Telemos,  foretell  that  I  was  to 
be  blinded  by  Odysseus.  But  I  thought  there 
would  come  a  large  and  powerful  man,  not  such 
an  insignificant  little  fellow  who  would  cheat 
me  with  wine.  Come  back,  Odysseus,  and  let 
me  bestow  upon  you  the  gifts  which  are  due  to 
strangers.  I  will  pray  to  my  father,  Poseidon, 
to  give  thee  a  safe  and  speedy  return  to  thy 
native  land.  He  can  restore  my  eye  whenever 
he  will,  so  I  cherish  no  anger  against  thee.' 

I  knew  his  deceit,  however,  and  replied  :  '  I 
would  rather  take  thy  life,  and  send  thee  down 
to  the  dark  halls  of  the  dead,  where  thy  father 
could  never  restore  thy  sight.' 

As  soon  as  Polyphemus  heard  this,  he  raised 


Odysseus  Leaves  the  Cyclops          71 

his  hands  to  heaven  and  prayed  to  Poseidoa 
'My  father,'  he  said,  'hear  me,  if  in  truth  ] 
am  thy  son.  Grant  me  this  prayer.  May  Odys. 
seus  never  return  to  his  own  country,  or,  U 
it  be  thy  will  that  he  reach  home  and  friends 
again,  let  his  return  be  late  and  sorrowful 
May  his  comrades  all  be  lost,  and  may  he  go 
back  in  a  borrowed  ship,  and  find  new  troubles 
waiting  for  him  in  his  house.' 

Poseidon  was  moved  to  wrath  against  me  by 
this  prayer,  and  determined  to  take  vengeance 
on  me.  The  Cyclops  seized  another  stone,  much 
larger  than  the  last,  and  swinging  it  round, 
threw  it  at  us  with  tremendous  strength.  It 
fell  close  to  the  ship,  but  this  time  it  drove  the 
boat  out  into  the  sea  and  in  the  direction  of  the 
island  where  we  first  landed. 

When  we  reached  the  island  we  found  the 
friends  we  had  left  there  waiting  anxiously  for 
our  return.  My  men  drew  their  boat  up  on  to 
the  smooth  sand  and  stepped  upon  the  beach, 
taking  the  sheep  along  with  them.  Each  man 
took  an  equal  share,  but  they  gave  me  the  ram 
which  had  saved  my  life.  We  took  him  out 
upon  the  beach  and  offered  him  up  as  a  sacri- 
fice to  Zeus. 

But  sacrifices  were  vain,  for  Zeus  had  more 
evil  for  us  in  his  mind.  We  spent  the  rest  of 


72  Odysseus 

the  day  on  the  island,  eating  and  drinking,  and 
when  the  sun  went  down  we  camped  on  the 
shore  for  the  night.  In  the  morning  I  called 
my  men  to  climb  the  decks  and  cut  the  ropes 
that  kept  us  fastened  to  the  shore.  With  all 
speed  they  went  aboard  and  took  their  oars  in 
hand  and  set  sail  for  home,  glad  to  escape,  but 
sorrowing  for  our  lost  companions. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE  ADVENTURES   OF   ODYSSEUS   ON   THE 
ISLAND   OF  .EOLUS 

WE  sailed  about  on  unknown  seas  for  many 
days,  when  we  reached  the  island  where  ^Eolus 
made  his  abode.  This  island  was  surrounded 
by  smooth  rocks  and  guarded  by  a  wall  of 
shining  brass. 

iEolus  had  twelve  children,  six  sons  and  six 
daughters,  and  they  banqueted  on  an  endless 
variety  of  meats  from  day  to  day  all  the  year 
round.  ^Eolus  was  a  kindly,  genial  god ;  he 
was  master  of  the  winds,  and  one  could  hear 
the  music  of  sweet  pipes  in  his  halls  all  day, 
and  the  air  was  fresh  and  fragrant  there. 

^Eolus  welcomed  us  hospitably  and  kept  us 
with  him  a  whole  month.  He  inquired  of  the 


On  the  Island  of  JEolns  73 

fate  of  all  our  companions  in  the  war  with  Troy, 
and  we  stated  what  had  happened  to  them. 
Then  we  prayed  him  to  send  ns  home,  and  the 
god  very  kindly  gave  us  a  sack  made  of  skin 
in  which  he  had  tied  up  all  the  contrary  winds, 
leaving-  only  the  west  wind  free  to  carry  us 
safely  home. 

I  took  the  great  bag  of  winds  and  bound  it 
fast  to  the  main  mast  of  the  ship  with  a  silver 
chain,  so  that  no  rude  wind  could  escape  and 
blow  us  out  of  our  way.  We  sailed  along  nine 
days  and  nine  nights,  blown  by  the  friendly 
breeze  from  the  west,  and  on  the  tenth  we  saw 
in  the  distance  the  mountain  tops  of  Ithaca  and 
the  fires  along  the  shore. 

And  now  I  was  overcome  by  a  heavy  sleep, 
for  I  had  been  guiding  the  ship,  not  daring  to 
trust  it  to  the  hand  of  any  of  the  crew.  While 
I  lay  unconscious  of  what  was  going  on,  my 
companions  talked  among  themselves  and  said 
they  believed  that  the  bag  which  JEolus  had 
given  me  contained  vast  amounts  of  gold  and 
silver.  And  they  spoke  with  great  jealousy  of 
the  prizes  which  I  had  received  wherever  we 
had  landed,  while  they  went  empty-handed. 

The  more  they  talked  to  one  another  the 
more  jealous  and  angry  they  grew.  They  un- 
tied the  sack  and  the  winds  rushed  out,  much 


74  Odysseus 

to  their  astonishment,  and  seized  the  ship,  driv- 
ing it  round  and  round  in  a  furious  storm.  I 
started  out  of  my  sleep  suddenly  and  found  the 
bag  open  I  had  so  carefully  guarded  and  my 
companions  weeping  bitterly. 

For  a  moment  I  had  a  mind  to  throw  myself 
into  the  sea  and  make  an  end  of  my  troubles 
forever.  But  the  thought  came  to  me  that  such 
an  action  would  not  be  noble,  so  I  hid  my  head 
in  my  mantle  and  lay  down  in  the  bottom  of  the 
ship  while  the  violent  winds  and  towering  waves 
drove  us  back  to  the  island  we  had  left.  We 
landed  there  again,  and,  having  partaken  of 
some  food  and  wine,  I  sought  the  halls  of  ^Eolus. 

I  found  the  king  and  his  wife  and  children  at 
table  taking  their  evening  meal.  When  ./Eolus 
saw  me  he  was  amazed,  and  asked  me  what  had 
happened  to  me.  I  told  him  about  the  sense- 
less action  of  my  companions,  and  begged  him 
to  assist  me  once  more.  But  with  a  terrible 
voice  he  replied  :  '  Begone  as  fast  as  thou  canst 
out  of  my  island.  I  will  not  befriend  a  man 
who  is  hated  of  the  gods.'  In  this  unkind  way 
he  sent  me  off,  and  we  sadly  entered  our  ships 
and  made  for  the  open  sea,  trusting  to  the 
mercy  of  the  winds. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ODYSSEUS  AT  THE  HOME  OF 

FOR  six  days  and  six  nights  we  sailed  without 
interruption,  but  on  the  seventh  day  we  reached 
the  city  of  the  Laestrygonians.  There  the  past- 
ures are  so  rich  in  grass  that  the  fields,  which 
are  grazed  by  one  flock  of  sheep  during  the  day, 
yield  abundant-food  for  another  flock  by  night. 
The  inhabitants  were  not  only  inhospitable,  but 
they  received  us  with  a  shower  of  stones,  which 
they  hurled  at  us  and  at  our  galleys.  They  broke 
our  ships  and  killed  my  companions,  spearing 
them  like  fish.  Then  they  carried  them  ashore 
to  be  devoured.  With  the  greatest  difficulty  I 
succeeded  in  saving  one  ship  and  a  few  com- 
panions from  the  hands  of  these  giants,  and  I 
fled  with  them  out  to  the  high  sea. 

Sadly  we  continued  our  course  until  we 
reached  an  island,  where  the  goddess  Circe,  a 
daughter  of  the  Sun  and  Ocean,  lived.  We 
landed  silently,  and  gave  two  days  and 
nights  to  rest,  for  we  were  worn  out  with  toil 
and  grief.  On  the  third  day  I  climbed  to  the 
top  of  a  high  hill  and  looked  over  the  island. 
Down  below  I  saw  a  marble  palace,  surrounded 


76  Odysseus 

by  a  thick  forest.  There  was  smoke  rising 
from  the  grounds,  so  I  resolved  to  return  to  my 
men  and  send  out  some  of  them  to  look  about 
and  explore. 

A  large  stag  ran  down  into  my  path,  on  his 
way  to  a  river  to  drink,  and  I  thrust  my  spear 
through  him  and  flung  him  across  my  neck  and 
took  him  to  the  ship.  I  threw  him  at  the  feet 
of  my  men,  who  were  astonished  at  his  size. 
They  prepared  a  banquet  at  once,  and  we 
feasted  upon  the  meat. 

That  night  we  slept  on  the  shore  again,  and 
in  the  morning  I  told  them  that  I  had  seen  a 
palace  standing  in  a  thick  wood,  and  that  I 
wanted  to  send  several  men  there  to  try  to 
get  food.  When  my  companions  thought  of 
all  their  comrades  who  had  been  slain  they  wept 
aloud.  But  their  tears  were  useless.  I  divided 
them  into  two  equal  bands,  and  we  cast  lots  to 
see  which  party  should  make  the  adventure. 

The  lot  fell  to  Eurylochos  and  his  band  of 
men.  They  started  forth,  and  soon  came  to  a 
beautiful  valley,  in  which  was  the  splendid 
house  of  Circe,  which  was  built  of  well-hewn 
stone.  There  were  beasts  of  prey,  lions  and 
wolves,  around  it.  The  animals  were  tame ; 
they  wagged  their  tails  and  fawned  like  dogs, 
but  the  men  were  afraid  of  them.  Circ£  was 


Odysseus  at  the  Home  of  Circe       77 

weaving  in  the  palace  and  singing  a  beautiful 
song.  She  had  bright,  sunny  hair  and  a  sweet 
voice.  The  men  heard  her  as  she  went  back 
and  forth  weaving,  and  they  called  aloud.  She 
came  to  the  door  and  threw  it  wide  open  and 
bade  them  enter. 

Eurylochos  alone  did  not  go  in,  for  he 
feared  that  some  evil  would  come  of  it.  The 
others  followed  her,  and  Circe  seated  them  on 
thrones  and  gave  them  food  and  wine,  but  in 
the  wine  she  had  secretly  infused  a  magic  juice 
which  made  them  forget  home  and  friends  and 
all  desire  to  see  their  native  land. 

When  they  had  eaten  and  drunk  to  their 
hearts'  content,  she  waved  her  wand  over  them, 
and  at  once  the  poor  wretches  were  changed 
into  grunting  pigs,  which  she  shut  up  in  pig- 
sties and  threw  acorns  and  other  food  fit  for 
swine  before  them.  Although  thus  transformed 
and  covered  with  bristles,  they  still  retained  the 
human  mind. 

Eurylochos  stayed  a  long  time  outside  await- 
ing the  return  of  his  companions.  But  as  they 
tarried  so  long,  he  hastened  back  to  the  ship  to 
tell  the  news.  Thereupon  I  quickly  hung  my 
sword  over  my  shoulder  and,  taking  my  bow 
and  arrows,  hurried  off  alone,  and  soon  found 
myself  not  far  from  Circe's  palace. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

CIRCE   INSTRUCTS   ODYSSEUS   CONCERNING   HIS 
DESCENT  TO   HADES 

As  I  lingered  in  that  dangerous  valley  there 
appeared  to  me  a  youth  whom  I  knew  at  once 
to  be  Hermes,  the  messenger  of  the  gods.  He 
gently  took  hold  of  my  hand  and,  looking  com- 
passionately on  me,  said  :  '  Thou  most  unhappy 
man!  Why  art  thou  roaming  alone  in  these 
wild  parts  ?  Or  art  thou  bound  on  the  errand 
of  delivering  thy  friends  who  have  all  been 
changed  by  Circe  into  swine  ?  Much  do  I  fear 
that  thou  mayest  meet  with  the  same  fate. 
Listen  to  my  words  and  heed  them  well  if 
thou  wouldst  destroy  the  treacherous  schemes 
of  Circe. 

Take  this  little  flower.  Its  name  is  Moly 
among  the  gods,  and  no  wicked  sorcery  can 
hurt  the  man  who  treasures  it  carefully.  Its 
root  is  black.  Its  blossom  is  as  white  as  milk, 
and  it  is  hard  for  men  to  tear  it  from  the 
ground.  Take  this  herb  and  go  fearlessly  into 
the  dwelling  of  the  sorceress ;  it  will  guard  thee 
against  all  mishap.  She  will  bring  thee  a  bowl 
of  wine  mingled  with  the  juice  of  enchantment, 


Circe  Instructs  Odysseus  79 

but  do  not  fear  to  eat  or  drink  anything  she 
may  offer  thee,  and  when  she  touches  thy  head 
with  her  magic  wand,  then  rush  upon  her 
quickly  with  drawn  sword  as  though  about  to 
slay  her.  She  will  crouch  in  fear  and  entreat 
thee  with  soft  words  to  spare  her.  But  do  not 
give  way  to  her  until  she  has  pledged  herself 
by  the  great  oath  of  the  gods  to  do  thee  no 
harm.' 

When  Hermes  had  spoken  thus  he  left  me,  to 
return  to  high  Olvmpos,  and  I  walked  to  the 
house  of  Circe  with  a  braver  heart.  As  I  came 
near  the  palace  I  called  out  to  the  goddess  with 
a  loud  voice,  and  she  threw  open  the  doors  for 
me  to  enter.  She  bade  me  sit  down  on  a  beau- 
tiful throne  and  placed  a  golden  foot-stool  under 
my  feet  Then  she  gave  me  the  dangerous  cup 
and  I  drank  it  off,  but  her  charm  did  not  work. 

Scarcely  had  I  drained  the  cup  when  the  god- 
dess struck  me  with  her  wand  and  said :  '  Off 
with  you  !  Go  to  the  pigsty,  where  friends 
await  thy  coming ! '  In  a  twinkling  I  had  my 
sword  in  hand  and  rushed  upon  her  as  if  to 
kill  her.  Circe  shrieked  with  fear  and  fell  on 
her  knees  to  implore  my  mercy.  'Who  art 
thou  and  whence  dost  thou  come  ? '  said  Circe. 
'  Thou  art  the  first  man  over  whom  my  magic 
wine  has  had  no  power.  Art  thou  really  that 


8o  Odysseus 

Odysseus  of  whom  Hermes  told  me  that  he 
was  to  come  here  after  many  wanderings? 
But  put  up  thy  sword  and  cease  to  be  angry 
with  me  and  let  us  trust  each  other.' 

I  answered  her:  '  O,  goddess,  how  can  I 
have  faith  in  thy  words,  since  thou  hast  changed 
my  companions  into  swine  and  dost  plot  the 
same  fate  for  me?  Swear  me  the  great  oath 
that  thou  wilt  not  harm  me,  and  I  shall  trust 
thy  words.' 

Circe  at  once  took  the  great  oath,  that  she 
would  never  again  try  to  do  me  any  harm,  and 
she  ordered  her  servants  to  spread  a  feast  be- 
fore me.  But  I  had  no  desire  to  eat.  I  sat  down 
in  silence,  my  mind  full  of  grief  and  doubt. 

When  Circe  saw  that  I  did  not  touch  the 
food  she  said :  '  Why  art  thou  so  quiet  and 
speechless  ?  And  why  dost  thou  not  taste  the 
food  and  wine?  I  have  pledged  myself  by  the 
great  oath  to  do  thee  no  harm  ! '  But  I  an- 
swered :  '  What  man  with  a  loyal  heart,  O 
goddess,  could  eat  and  drink  with  any  pleas- 
ure while  his  comrades  are  kept  in  bondage 
and  degradation  ?  If  thou  art  really  kind  and 
wouldst  have  me  enjoy  this  bounteous  feast, 
O  let  me  see  my  dear  companions  free  once 
more !' 

The   goddess   took   her  wand   and  went   to 


Circe  Instructs  Odysseus  81 

the  pen  and  drove  out  the  swine.  She  then 
anointed  them  with  a  magic  ointment,  and 
their  bristles  fell  off  and  they  stood  up  and 
were  men  again.  They  knew  me,  and  each  one 
seized  my  hand,  shedding  tears  of  joy.  Then  I 
sent  for  the  rest  of  my  men  at  the  ship,  who 
eagerly  came  up,  and  together  ^we  entered  the 
halls  of  Circe,  all  of  us  weeping  with  joy. 

Circe's  heart  was  softened  also,  and  she  said 
to  me  :  'Son  of  Laertes,  noble  Odysseus,  do  not 
weep  and  grieve  any  longer.  I  know  what 
hardships  thou  hast  endured  on  land  and  sea 
Take  courage,  for  thy  sufferings  will  soon  be 
at  an  end.  Go  down  to  the  sea  and  hide  thy 
boat  near  the  shore  and  come  back  to  my  halls, 
thou  and  all  thy  men,  where  I  will  make  it  a 
happy  home  for  all  until  thou  art  rested  and 
ready  to  sail  again  for  thy  native  land.' 

We  stayed  a  whole  year  on  the  island  of 
Circe,  feasting  and  enjoying  ourselves,  and  fulry 
recovered  our  strength.  The  desire  of  reach- 
ing my  beloved  Ithaca  grew  stronger  within 
me  day  by  day,  and  at  last  I  begged  Circe  to 
allow  us  to  depart.  '  I  am  not  willing,  O  son  of 
Laertes,'  Circd  answered,  'that  thou  shouldst 
remain  here  against  thy  wish,  but  it  is  neces- 
sary that  thou  shouldst,  before  departing  from 
my  island,  descend  into  Hades,  to  the  palace  of 


82  Odysseus 

Pluto  and  Persephone,  to  consult  the  spirit  of 
the  Theban  seer,  Tiresias,  on  whom  Perseph- 
one has  bestowed  the  priceless  gift  of  pre- 
serving his  memory  even  in  Hades,  whereas  all 
the  other  souls  are  moving  about  as  empty 
shadows.' 

Hearing  this,  I  grew  desperate  and  no  longer 
had  any  desire  to  live  or  see  the  light  of  day. 
I  said  to  the  goddess :  '  Who  will  show  me  the 
way  to  Hades?  for  no  living  mortal  has  ever 
gone  there  before.'  She  replied :  '  Do  not 
worry  about  a  guide,  Odysseus,  for  there  will 
be  no  need  of  one.  Launch  thy  boat,  unfurl 
the  sails,  and  quietly  sit  down.  The  north  wind 
will  waft  thee  to  the  shore  of  Hades.  There 
flows  the  river  Styx,  black  and  terrible.  It 
flows  between  the  poplars  and  willows  in  the 
groves  of  Persephone,  and  meets  the  broad 
waters  of  Okeanos.  Sail  up  its  dark  stream 
until  thou  dost  reach  the  rock  where  its  two 
branches  meet  and  swirl  and  roar.  There 
leave  thy  boat  and  dig  a  ditch  in  the  ground,  a 
foot  deep  and  a  foot  wide,  in  which  thou  shalt 
pour  honey,  milk,  wine,  and  water  as  an  offer- 
ing to  the  dead. 

At  the  same  time  pray  to  the  gods  of  Hades, 
and  promise  the  shades  of  the  dead  that  after 
£hou  ha§t  arrived  in  Ithaca  thou  wilt  sacrifice 


Circe  Instructs  Odysseus  83 

to  them  a  whole  heifer,  the  best  of  thy  flock, 
and  to  Tiresias  especially  a  black  ram.  Then 
take  two  sheep,  a  male  and  a  female,  kill  them, 
and  burn  them  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  nations  of 
the  dead. 

At  once  there  will  arrive  the  souls  of  the 
departed.  They  will  come  by  thousands,  anx- 
ious to  drink  of  the  blood,  that  they  may  have 
their  minds  again.  But  draw  thy  sword  and 
hold  them  back  until  the  spirit  of  Tiresias  ar- 
rives. He  will  tell  thee  how  to  get  back  to  thy 
native  land.' 

As  Circe  said  this  the  daylight  appeared,  and 
I  woke  my  companions  and  told  them  to  make 
ready  to  go  with  me.  We  started  at  once  for 
our  ship,  and  got  everything  in  readiness  to 
leave.  I  told  them  that  before  setting  out  for 
our  own  country  we  had,  by  the  advice  of 
Circe,  to  go  down  to  Hades  in  order  to  consult 
the  seer  Tiresias  about  our  journey.  When 
they  heard  this  they  sat  down,  and  wept,  and 
began  to  tear  the  hair  from  their  heads. 

Circe  meantime  came  up  by  stealth,  and  put 
two  sheep  into  the  ship,  and  we  sailed  sadly 
away. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS  IN  HADES 

WITH  a  heavy  heart  we  sailed  from  Circe's 
island  bound  for  the  gloomy  Hades.  As  the 
wind  was  favorable,  we  soon  reached  the  place 
of  which  the  goddess  had  told  us.  There  we 
left  the  ship  and  did  those  things  which  Circe 
had  counselled  us  to  do.  As  soon  as  the  dark 
blood  of  the  sheep  began  to  flow  into  the  trench 
countless  souls  came  flocking  from  Hades  and 
begged  to  taste  of  the  blood,  that  their  mortal 
minds  might  be  restored  to  them. 

Young  wives  and  girls,  old  men  and  young 
warriors  who  had  fallen  in  battle,  airy  forms, 
ghosts  of  all  kinds  of  people,  flitted  like  bats 
around  me  in  that  dark  place  with  fearful  cries, 
and  I  turned  pale  with  fear.  I  drew  my  sword 
and  waved  them  back  until  I  should  ques- 
tion the  soul  of  Tiresias. 

But  first  came  the  soul  of  Elpenor,  one  of 
my  companions  who  had  gone  with  me  to  the 
palace  of  Circe.  We  had  left  him  dead  in  the 
halls  of  the  goddess,  since  we  had  no  time  to 
bury  him.  Now,  when  I  saw  him  a  great  pity 
stirred  my  heart,  and  I  shed  tears  and  said  to 
84 


Adventures  of  Odysseus  in  Hades     85 

him :  '  Elpenor,  how  didst  thou  come  into  these 
dread  regions  of  darkness?  Thou  hast  come 
more  quickly  on  foot  than  I  in  my  quick  ship.' 

The  phantom  knew  me,  for,  being  as  yet  un- 
buried,  he  was  not  one  of  the  shades,  and  had 
not  lost  his  memory  or  voice,  nor  did  he  need 
to  drink  of  the  blood.  He  moaned  and  replied  : 
'  Noble  Odysseus,  it  was  an  evil  fate  which  the 
gods  had  decreed  for  me.  I  drank  too  much 
wine  and  that  caused  my  death.  I  lay  down  to 
sleep  on  the  roof  of  Circe's  palace  and  could 
not  remember  the  way  to  the  stairs  when  thou 
didst  call  us  to  the  ships.  In  my  haste  I  fell 
from  the  roof  and  broke  my  neck,  and  my  soul 
came  down  to  Hades. 

I  pray  thee  now  by  all  those  whom  thou  dost 
love — thy  wife,  thy  father,  and  thy  son — that 
thou  leave  not  my  body  unburied  in  the  palace 
halls,  lest  I  bring  on  thee  the  anger  of  the  gods. 
But  on  thy  return  to  Circe's  isle  burn  my  body, 
together  witn  my  armor,  and  pile  up  a  mound 
of  earth  over  my  ashes.  Plant  my  oar  upon 
my  tomb — the  oar  with  which  I  used  to  row 
while  I  was  living.' 

I  made  the  promise,  but  at  this  moment  the 
soul  of  my  mother,  whom  I  had  left  hale  and 
strong  among  the  living  when  I  went  to  the 
war,  approached  and  tried  to  get  at  the  trench. 


86  Odysseus 

I  wept  to  see  her,  but  with  a  heavy  heart  I  for- 
bade her  coming  nearer  until  I  had  spoken  with 
Tiresias.  At  this  moment  troops  of  souls  came 
flocking  out  of  Hades,  and  from  the  countless 
throng  the  Theban  seer  came  leaning  on  a 
golden  staff,  and  he  ordered  me  to  lay  aside  my 
sword  and  permit  him  to  drink  of  the  blood. 

When  he  had  drunk,  he  spoke  to  me  and 
said :  '  Odysseus,  man  of  many  woes,  why  dost 
thou  leave  the  light  of  the  sun  and  come  down 
among  the  dead  ?  Doubtless  thy  heart's  desire 
is  to  return  safely  home.  But  much  suffering 
is  in  store  for  thee.  Poseidon  will  not  permit  it, 
because  thou  hast  blinded  his  son,  Polyphemus. 
Still,  thou  mayest  overcome  all  difficulties  and 
see  Ithaca  at  last,  if  thou  dost  not  harm  the 
cattle  and  fat  sheep  of  the  Sun  on  the  island  of 
Trinacria. 

But  if  thou  dost  kill  them  and  eat  of  their 
flesh,  I  warn  thee  that  nothing  will  save  thy 
comrades  or  thy  ships.  Even  then  thou  mayest 
be  saved,  but  it  will  be  on  a  strange  ship,  alone, 
and  after  dreadful  sufferings.  And  at  home 
thou  wilt  find  other  misfortunes  awaiting  thee. 

There  will  be  a  mob  of  lawless  men  rioting 
in  thy  house,  squandering  thy  riches,  and  trying 
to  get  thy  wife  to  marry  one  of  them.  Thou 
shalt  kill  these  violent  men  in  thy  halls  by  craft 


Odysseus  Converses  with  His  Mother  87 

or  in  open  fight.  After  that  thou  shalt  reach  a 
good  and  prosperous  old  age,  and  find  a  peace- 
ful death  far  away  from  the  sea.  All  that  I 
tell  thee  shall  surely  happen.' 


CHAPTER   XXI 

ODYSSEUS  CONVERSES  WITH    HIS  MOTHER  AND 
AGAMEMNON 


WHEN  Tiresias  had  gone,  my  mother 
back  to  the  dark  trench  and  drank  of  the 
blood.  She  knew  me  at  once  and  cried  out: 
'Oh,  my  child,  how  didst  thou  ever  come 
down  to  this  gloomy  place  alive?  Art  thou 
on  thy  way  home  from  Troy?  And  hast  thou 
not  seen  Ithaca  yet,  nor  thy  wife  and  child  ?  * 

I  answered  her:  'Dear  mother,  I  was  com. 
pelled  to  come  down  here  in  order  to  consult 
the  soul  of  the  prophet  Tiresias  about  my 
return;  for  1  have  not  yet  touched  foot  to 
Grecian  soil.  I  have  been  driven  about  on 
strange  seas  from  year  to  year,  and  have  suf- 
fered misfortune  after  misfortune.  Oh,  tell  me, 
my  mother,  how  didst  thou  die?  Did  some 
lingering  disease  waste  thy  life,  or  didst  thou 
meet  a  sudden,  painless  death  ? 

Tell  me  of  my  father  and  of  my  son.    Do 


88  Odysseus 

they  still  hold  rule  over  Ithaca?  Or  has  some- 
one snatched  it  away  from  them,  thinking  I 
was  never  to  return  ?  How  fares  my  wife,  Pe- 
nelope? Is  she  still  faithful  to  the  husband  of 
her  youth,  or  has  she  married  another  ? ' 

To  all  this  my  mother  answered :  '  My  son, 
Penelope  is  in  the  home  where  thou  didst  leave 
her,  and  she  weeps  for  thee  day  and  night. 
Nobody  has  usurped  thy  kingdom,  and  Telem- 
achos  has  charge  of  thy  royal  estates.  But 
thy  father  dwells  on  thy  farm,  and  shares  the 
life  of  the  servants.  He  seldom  goes  down  to 
the  city.  The  grief  he  feels  for  loss  of  thee 
has  made  him  old,  and  will  hasten  his  death, 
as  it  caused  mine,  for  I  could  not  live  without 
thee.' 

So  spake  my  mother,  and  I  longed  to  clasp 
her  to  my  heart.  Three  times  I  threw  my 
arms  around  her,  and  three  times  she  passed 
through  them  like  a  shadow.  Then  I  cried  out 
in  sorrow :  '  Oh,  my  dear  mother !  why  can  I 
not  clasp  thee  to  my  heart  and  hold  thee  in  my 
arms,  that  we  may  lose  for  a  while  our  sense  of 
loneliness  and  misery  ?  ' 

My  mother  spoke  and  said  :  '  It  is  the  lot  of 
all  our  race  when  they  are  dead.  When  life 
departs  we  have  no  bones  and  flesh,  but  the 
soul  flies  off  and  flits  about  from  one  place  to 


Odysseus  Converses  with  His  Mother  89 

another.  Hasten  back  to  the  pleasant  daylight, 
and  when  thou  dost  reach  home  tell  thy  wife 
what  I  have  said.' 

When  my  mother  had  gone,  I  saw  the  soul  of 
Agamemnon  approaching,  together  with  the 
shades  of  those  of  his  companions  who  had  per- 
ished with  him.  The  moment  he  had  drunk  of 
the  blood  he  knew  me  and  raised  a  loud  wail. 
He  stretched  out  his  hands  to  me,  and  I  tried 
to  seize  them,  but  I  clutched  only  the  empty 
air. 

Then  I  began  to  weep,  too,  and  said  to  him : 
1  Famous  son  of  Atreus,  King  Agamemnon, 
tell  me  how  thou  didst  die.  Did  Poseidon 
wreck  thee  on  the  sea  in  a  terrible  storm,  or 
didst  thou  fall  in  war,  fighting  on  the  land  ? ' 

Whereupon  the  king  told  me  the  dire  story 
of  his  home-coming  and  his  death  at  traitors' 
hands.  '  When  I  trod  my  native  soil  again 
after  a  long  absence,'  he  said,  '  I  was  overcome 
with  joy  at  the  thought  of  seeing  my  wife  and 
children  once  more.  But  I  was  slain  in  my  own 
home,  and  ray  wife  did  not  even  close  my  eyes 
as  my  soul  came  on  its  way  to  these  dark 
realms.' 

I  answered :  *  Alas !  how  the  gods  must  hate 
the  family  of  Atreus  on  account  of  the  unfaith- 
fulness of  its  women ! ' 


90  Odysseus 

Agamemnon  replied  :  '  Oh,  son  of  Laertes, 
thou  art  a  fortunate  man,  for  thou  hast  a  faithful 
wife.  Penelope  is  wise  and  virtuous.  I  remem- 
ber, when  we  were  ready  to  start  for  Troy  she 
was  a  young  wife  with  a  little  babe  in  her  arms, 
which  she  pressed  to  her  bosom.  He  must  be 
a  man  now.  Thou  art  a  happy  father.  Thou 
wilt  see  thy  son  at  home  in  Ithaca. 

No  such  good  fortune  can  ever  come  to  me. 
My  wife  did  not  even  let  me  see  my  son  before 
she  slew  me.  Tell  me  about  him,  I  beseech 
thee,  how  he  is.  Does  he  still  live  in  Sparta? ' 

'  Son  of  Atreus,'  I  said,  'do  not  ask  me  where 
thy  son  is.  I  cannot  tell  whether  he  is  alive  or 
not,  and  this  is  no  time  for  idle  conjectures ; ' 
and  we  wept  as  I  spoke. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

CONVERSATION     WITH     ACHILLES     AND     OTHER 
HEROES 

WHILE  we  were  conversing  thus,  the  shades 
of  Achilles  and  Patroklos  came  near.  The  soul 
of  Achilles  recognized  me,  and  he  said  :  '  Odys- 
seus, son  of  Laertes,  how  darest  thou  descend 
into  the  gloomy  habitation  of  the  dead  ?  This 
is  the  greatest  labor  thou  hast  undertaken.' 


Conversation  with  Achilles  and  Others    91 

I  answered :  '  Godlike  Achilles,  I  came  here 
to  consult  the  seer  Tiresias  about  my  return 
to  my  own  country,  for  I  have  never  yet 
reached  Grecian  soil,  but  have  wandered  about 
suffering,  great  misfortunes.  No  one  is  happier 
than  thou  art,  O  Achilles.  When  thou  wert 
alive  all  men  honored  thee  as  if  thou  wert  a 
god,  and  now  thou  art  a  king  and  rulest  over 
the  dead.' 

Then  he  replied :  '  Do  not  try  to  console 
me,  Odysseus.  I  would  rather  be  the  slave  of 
a  poor  man,  and  in  the  light  of  the  sun,  than  to 
be  in  Hades  and  rule  over  all  the  dead.  But 
tell  me,  Odysseus,  how  fares  my  noble  son? 
Does  he  fight  in  the  wars,  and  is  he  in  the  front 
ranks  ?  And  Peleus,  my  aged  father,  tell  me  of 
him.  Is  he  still  king  of  the  Myrmidons  ?  Or 
do  they  hold  him  in  contempt,  now  that  he  is 
old,  and  I  am  not  there  to  uphold  him  ? ' 

I  answered  him :  '  I  know  nothing  about 
thy  aged  father,  O  Achilles,  but  I  have  many 
things  to  tell  thee  about  thy  son.  I  brought 
him  from  Skyros,  myself,  in  a  ship  to  Troy,  and 
placed  him  in  the  Greek  army.  There  he  sur- 
passed everyone  except  Nestor  and  myself  in 
the  wisdom  of  his  advice,  and  when  we  went 
forth  to  battle  he  fought  among  the  foremost, 
slaying  many  illustrious  foes. 


92  Odysseus 

'Above  all,  his  powers  shone  forth  when  we 
were  hidden  in  the  wooden  horse.  All  the 
other  leaders  of  the  Greeks  gave  signs  of  fear. 
They  grew  white  and  shed  tears ;  but  his  face 
never  turned  pale,  and  no  tear  came  into  his 
eyes.  He  called  on  me  to  leave  the  horse  and 
rush  upon  the  foe,  and  he  smote  the  Trojans, 
carrying  death  and  destruction  among  them. 
When  we  finally  subdued  the  city,  thy  son  took 
rich  booty  and  safely  reached  his  own  country.' 

As  soon  as  Achilles  heard  this  news  he  re- 
joiced. He  strode  proudly  off  over  the  field  of 
Elysian  asphodels,  well  pleased  that  he  had  left 
such  a  mighty  son  on  earth. 

After  Achilles  had  departed,  many  other 
souls  came  and  talked  with  me.  Only  the  soul 
of  Ajax  kept  aloof,  still  angry  over  a  victory 
which  I  gained  near  the  ships  when  I  took  the 
weapons  of  Achilles  as  my  share  of  the  booty. 
Little  did  that  victory  and  the  arms  please  me, 
since  they  caused  the  grave  to  close  over  such 
a  hero  as  Ajax. 

I  spoke  to  his  soul  in  gentle  words:  'Ajax, 
son  of  Telamon,  did  not  even  death  appease  the 
anger  against  me  which  thou  didst  feel  on  ac- 
count of  my  receiving  the  arms  that  brought 
such  a  calamity  upon  the  Greeks  ?  For  thou 
wast  our  tower  of  strength,  and  the  weapons 


Conversation  with  Achilles  and  Others    93 

proved  fatal  to  thee.  Come  nearer  and  speak 
to  me,  for  I  bewail  thy  death.'  I  spoke  sooth- 
ingly yet  Ajax  gave  no  answer.  His  spirit 
vanished  away  among  the  other  spirits. 

Then  I  beheld  Minos,  the  lawgiver  of  Crete, 
who  held  a  golden  sceptre  in  his  hand  and 
judged  the  dead.  He  had  under  him  the  great 
\vrong-doers  of  one  part  of  Hades.  With  him  I 
saw  Tantalos,  who  stood  in  a  pool  of  water,  suf- 
fering at  the  same  time  a  painful  thirst.  As 
often  as  he  tried  to  put  his  lips  to  the  water  it 
sank  down  away  from  him  so  that  he  could  not 
reach  it. 

I  saw  Sisyphos,  also,  who  suffered  great 
punishment,  for  he  rolled  a  large  rock  uphill 
with  both  hands,  straining  every  muscle  of  his 
body  to  the  utmost  to  move  it.  No  sooner  had 
he  pushed  it  to  the  top  of  the  hill  than  it  rolled 
back  with  deafening  noise  to  the  bottom  of  the 
valley.  Again  the  unfortunate  man  toiled  to 
move  it  upward,  the  sweat  covering  his  body 
and  clouds  of  dust  hovering  over  his  head. 

Then  I  saw  the  shade  of  Herakles,  but  the 
hero  himself  sits  among  the  gods  on  Mount 
Olympos.  And  there  came  myriads  of  souls, 
making  a  terrible  noise,  which  filled  me  with 
dread,  lest  I  might  look  upon  the  Gorgon,  and 
I  hastened  back  to  the  ship.  I  ordered  the 


94  Odysseus 

crew  to  go  on  board,  and  they  took  their  oars 
and  rowed  until  we  reached  the  open  sea,  where 
favorable  winds  caught  by  the  sails  wafted  us 
back  to  Circe's  isle. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

THE    RETURN     OF     ODYSSEUS     TO    THE    ISLAND 
OF  CIRCE 

WHEN  we  reached  Circe's  isle,  we  dragged 
our  vessel  up  on  to  the  beach,  and  lay  down  to 
sleep  on  the  shore.  At  break  of  day  I  sent  my 
comrades  forth  to  bring  the  body  of  Elpenor 
from  the  palace.  We  took  it  out  to  a  rocky 
place  on  the  shore,  and  cut  down  trees  to 
build  a  funeral  pyre.  There  we  burned  the 
body  and  performed  the  funeral  rites,  and  we 
built  a  tomb  and  placed  an  oar  at  the  top  of  it. 

All  this  was  done  quietly,  but  Circe  saw  us 
and  came  with  her  maids,  bringing  a  generous 
supply  of  food  and  wine.  Standing  in  our 
midst,  she  said:  'Brave  men,  who  living  have 
gone  down  to  Hades,  all  men  die  once,  but  you 
are  permitted  to  die  twice.  Take  food,  eat 
and  drink  all  day  long,  and  to-morrow  at  day- 
light depart  for  your  native  land.  I  will  show 


Odysseus  Returns  to  tke  Island  of  Circe    95 

you  the  way  and  teach  you  how  to  avoid  all 
danger/ 

We  spent  the  whole  day  on  the  shore,  eating 
and  drinking,  but  when  the  sun  sank  down 
and  the  earth  was  covered  with  darkness  my 
companions  went  near  the  ship  to  seek  rest. 
But  I  sat  down  by  Circe,  who  questioned  me 
about  my  visit  to  Hades.  After  I  had  told  her 
everything,  she  said :  *  Odysseus,  so  far  all  is 
well,  but  there  are  a  great  many  new  dangers 
ahead.  Listen  carefully  to  what  I  say.  First, 
thou  must  pass  the  Sirens,  who  bewitch  with 
their  melodious  voices  all  who  listen  to  them. 
Woe  to  him  who  allows  his  ship  to  go  near 
them !  He  will  never  reach  his  native  land,  or 
see  his  wife  and  children  again.  The  Sirens 
sit  in  a  green  field  and  sing,  while  the  bones 
of  dead  men  lie  in  heaps  near  them.  Do  not 
listen  to  them,  bur  pass  them  by  unnoticed. 

Or,  if  thou  wouldst  enjoy  the  matchless  sing- 
ing and  not  pay  the  forfeit  with  thy  life,  let  thy 
men  bind  thee  hand  and  foot  to  the  mast  of 
thy  ship,  so  that  thou  canst  not  by  any  effort 
stir  a  limb  when  the  great  longing  seizes  thee. 
And  give  thy  men  strict  orders  to  make  thy 
bonds  tighter  shouldst  thou  entreat  them  to 
loose  thee.  Before  thou  art  bound,  thou  shall 
knead  soft  wax  in  thy  palms  and  fill  the  ears 


96  Odysseus 

of  thy  companions  with  it,  that  no  sound  may 
enter. 

Thence  thou  wilt  come  to  the  narrows 
where  Skylla  and  Charybdis  dwell.  On  each 
side  of  the  narrows  is  a  steep  cliff,  one  of  which 
is  so  high  that  its  sharp  top  reaches  the  sky. 
It  is  so  slippery  that  no  one  is  able  to  climb  up 
or  down  its  sides,  nor  could  he  if  he  had  twenty 
hands  and  feet.  Not  even  a  bird  can  safely 
perch  on  it. 

No  boat  has  ever  come  to  the  spot  and  left 
it  without  being  wrecked,  except  Jason's,  when 
he  was  in  search  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  and  he 
escaped  because  a  goddess  was  his  guide,  to 
pilot  him  through.  A  dark  gray  fog  forever 
broods  over  the  head  of  the  cliff,  and  on  its 
western  side  there  yawns  a  fearful  cave,  where 
Skylla  lives. 

She  is  a  terrible  monster  that  barks  like  a 
savage  dog,  day  and  night.  She  has  twelve 
shapeless  feet,  and  six  heads  set  on  long  necks. 
Each  of  her  mouths  shows  three  rows  of  deadly 
teeth.  Half  of  her  body  is  hidden  in  the  rock, 
but  she  thrusts  out  her  heads  and  snatches 
her  prey,  fish,  whales,  dolphins,  or  men.  No 
sailor  escapes,  or,  indeed,  any  living  creature 
that  passes  that  way. 

The  other  cliff  is  not  so  high,  but  is  still  more 


Odysseus  Returns  to  the  Island  of  Circe  97 

dangerous.  There,  under  the  foliage  of  a  wild 
fig-tree,  Charybdis  dwells, 4  who  sucks  in  the 
dark  waters  of  the  sea  three  times  a  day  and 
belches  them  forth  again  three  times  with  a  ter- 
rible noise.  Woe  to  thee  if  thou  art  near  when 
she  sucks  the  waters  down,  for  not  even  Posei- 
don himself  could  save  thee.  It  would  be  better 
far  to  steer  close  to  Skylla,  for  then  only  six  of 
thy  men  would  be  snatched  from  the  benches, 
but  if  Charybdis  seizes  thy  ship  all  must  perish. 

These  pests  are  immortal.  Do  not  try  to 
overcome  them.  They  cannot  die.  It  is  better 
to  fly  from  them  with  all  haste.  It  would  be 
rashness  and  not  courage  to  attack  them. 

Next  in  thy  voyage  thou  wilt  come  to  the 
island  of  Trinacria,  where  the  fine  flocks  of 
Helios  are  feeding.  Two  shining  nymphs, 
daughters  of  the  Sun,  tend  them.  There  are 
seven  herds  of  oxen  and  seven  herds  of  sheep, 
fifty  in  each  herd  and  flock.  These  creatures 
are  immortal,  and  greatly  beloved  of  Helios, 
who  will  send  destruction  to  thy  ship  and  crew 
if  any  harm  come  to  them.  Forbid  thy  men  to 
touch  the  cattle,  even  though  suffering  for 
food.  If  thou  art  wise  enough  to  escape  these 
dangers,  thou  shalt  reach  thy  home  without 
further  mischance.' 

As  the  goddess  finished,  day  broke.     Circfc 


98  Odysseus 

sought  her  own  dwelling,  while  we  put  to  sea 
with  a  favorable  wind,  and  soon  the  island 
faded  from  our  sight. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

ODYSSEUS   MEETS   THE   SIRENS,   SKYLLA,   AND 
CHARYBDIS 

WHEN  I  saw  that  we  were  near  the  home  of 
the  Sirens,  I  said  to  my  men  :  '  It  is  not  wise 
that  only  one  of  us  should  know  the  oracles  of 
Circe,  and  I  will  tell  you  all  she  said  to  me,  that 
ye  may  escape  from  the  perils  before  us ;  and  1 
disclosed  her  sayings  to  them.  Then  I  took  a 
handful  of  wax  and  warmed  it  in  the  sun  until 
it  was  soft,  and  carefully  clogged  up  their  ears. 

They,  in  turn,  tied  me  to  the  mast,  hand  and 
foot,  so  firmly  that  I  could  not  stir  a  limb,  hav- 
ing first  received  my  command  that  they  should 
not  loose  my  bonds  on  any  account.  Then 
they  bent  to  their  oars,  and  rowed  close  to  the 
Sirens,  so  that  they  could  see  me  and  I  could 
hear  their  bewitching  songs. 

'  Come  to  us,  O  renowned  Odysseus,'  they 
sang  ;  '  pride  of  the  Greeks,  come  and  listen  to 
our  voices.  No  one  ever  yet  passed  us  without 
stopping  and  admiring  our  sweet  songs.  Come, 


Odysseus  Meets  ike  Sirens          99 

that  we  may  sing  to  thee  about  Troy  and  thy 
friends,  for  we  know  everything  that  is  going 
on  in  the  whole  world.' 

Thus  they  sang,  and  their  songs  thrilled  me. 
A  great  desire  came  over  me  to  stop  and  listen 
to  them,  and  with  nods  I  entreated  my  com- 
rades to  set  me  free.  But  they  sprang  up  and 
bound  other  cords  about  me,  so  that  I  strug- 
gled in  vain.  Then  all  the  men  plied  their  oars 
until  the  water  was  white  with  foam,  and  when 
we  were  out  of  sight  of  the  island  and  could  no 
longer  hear  the  songs  of  the  Sirens,  my  men  set 
me  free,  and  I  took  the  wax  from  their  ears. 

Hardly  had  we  escaped  from  the  Sirens  when 
we  beheld  a  black  fog  and  towering  waves 
and  heard  a  frightful  noise.  My  men  were  so 
scared  that  the  oars  fell  from  their  hands  and 
the  ship  stood  stilL  I  hastened  from  one  end 
of  the  boat  to  the  other,  speaking  cheerful  words 
to  each  rower.  « My  dear  friends,'  I  said, 
'  have  no  fear.  This  is  not  the  first  time  we 
have  encountered  danger.  We  have  been  saved 
from  the  hands  of  the  Cyclops  through  our 
own  valor  and  clever  devices,  and  we  are  not 
going  to  break  down  now.  Listen,  and  I  will 
tell  you  what  is  to  be  done.  Keep  your  seats 
and  ply  your  oars  with  all  your  might;  but 
thou,  O  helmsman,  steer  thy  ship  clear  of  that 


ioo  Odysseus 

fog  and  the  whirling  waves.'  Thus  I  spoke, 
and  they  willingly  obeyed  my  words. 

Yet  I  said  nothing  to  them  about  Skylla,  lest 
they  should  lose  heart  and  hide  in  the  bottom 
of  the  ship.  Thus  we  passed  in  between  the 
two  cliffs,  the  one  of  which  harbored  Skylla  and 
the  other  Charybdis,  who,  with  a  terrible  noise, 
swallowed  the  brine  of  the  sea  and  belched  it 
out  again  with  a  roar  like  the  mingling  of  fire 
and  water. 

But  I  forgot  the  command  of  Circfc  to  fly 
from  these  monsters  without  fighting.  I  put 
on  my  shining  armor  and  took  a  spear  in  each 
hand,  and  went  on  deck,  and  stood  in  warlike 
attitude  ready  to  attack  Skylla  if  she  should 
raise  a  hand  to  seize  one  of  my  men.  I  looked 
for  a  long  time,  but  I  could  not  see  her. 

We  sailed  on,  the  uproar  increasing.  My 
men  grew  white  with  fear.  The  salt  waters 
whirled  so  that  we  could  look  into  a  deep 
watery  pit  and  see  the  blue  sand.  The  rocks 
were  hidden  by  a  thick  mist.  Suddenly  Skylla 
thrust  forth  a  mighty  hand  and  snatched  six 
of  my  brave  men,  as  a  fisherman  pulls  out  fish 
with  a  hook.  I  saw  their  hands  outstretched 
toward  me  as  they  were  lifted  up  into  the  air, 
and  I  heard  their  cries  for  help.  Woe  is  me ! 
This  sight  will  haunt  me  as  long  as  I  have  life. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

ODYSSEUS  ON  THE  ISLAND  OF  HELIOS 

WHEN  we  had  escaped  from  the  terrible 
Skylla  and  Charybdis,  we  came  to  the  island  of 
Helios,  the  island  of  the  Sun,  and  heard  from 
afar  the  lowing  of  the  cattle  and  the  bleating 
of  the  sheep.  Then  I  remembered  the  words 
of  Tiresias  and  Circe,  and  I  advised  my  com- 
panions not  to  land  there  at  all,  but  to  go  right 
on,  lest  we  suffer  some  new  disaster. 

My  crew  would  not  listen  to  me.  They  com. 
manded  me  to  land  on  the  isle.  I  then  made 
them  take  an  oath  not  even  to  look  at  any  of 
the  cattle.  We  prepared  our  evening  meal, 
and  when  it  was  oVer  we  talked  of  our  dear 
companions  whom  Skylla  had  devoured,  and 
we  mourned  over  them  until  we  fell  asleep. 

We  remained  a  whole  month  on  this  island, 
on  account  of  unfavorable  winds.  We  found 
the  roomy  grot  where  the  nymphs  danced,  and 
the  seats  where  they  sat — the  nymphs  who 
tended  the  flocks  of  Helios. 

As  long  as  we  had  a  plenty  of  bread  and 
wine  my  comrades  were  satisfied  and  spared 
the  cattle.  But  when  our  store  of  food  was 


IO2  Odysseus 

exhausted  they  roamed  all  over  the  island  to  see 
what  they  could  get  to  appease  their  hunger. 
They  snared  birds  and  caught  fish  with  hooks, 
and  lived  on  them  or  anything  else  that  came  to 
hand.  But  they  grew  poor  and  lean  with  hun- 
ger and  nearly  starved.  I  went  off  alone  into  the 
island,  where  I  had  found  a  quiet  nook,  and  sent 
up  prayers  to  the  gods  to  show  us  the  Avay  out 
of  our  difficulties.  There  I  fell  asleep. 

While  I  slumbered,  Eurylochos  called  my 
men  together,  and  said  :  '  All  kinds  of  death 
are  bad  enough,  my  brave  friends,  but  death  by 
starvation  is  the  worst.  Let  us  kill  the  best  of 
these  cattle  and  offer  sacrifices  to  the  gods,  and 
then  eat  and  live.  If  we  ever  get  to  Ithaca  we 
will  make  restitution,  for  we  will  build  altars  to 
the  Sun  and  place  costly  gifts  upon  his  shrine. 
But  if  it  is  his  will  to  destroy  us  in  his  anger, 
then  let  us  die  amid  the  billows  of  the  deep,  for 
that  is  better  than  to  die  by  famine.' 

Thus  spoke  Eurylochos,  and  the  others  lent 
a  willing  ear.  They  seized  the  best  of  the 
cattle  at  once,  and  slaughtered  them,  and  pre- 
pared a  hearty  meal.  They  offered  up  petitions 
to  the  gods,  standing  round  their  victims  with 
young  oak-leaves  in  their  hands.  Then  they 
covered  the  thighs  with  caul,  and  laid  slices  of 
fat  over  these,  and  poured  on  water  and  roasted 


Odysseus  on  the  Island  of  Helios     103 

it  until  it  was  consumed.  All  the  rest  was  cut 
into  smaller  portions  and  scorched  on  iron 
prongs. 

At  this  moment  I  awoke  and  hurried  down 
to  the  ship,  and  with  horror  found  the  dreadful 
meal  prepared.  One  of  the  nymphs,  immortal 
shepherdess,  flew  to  the  Sun  to  tell  him  that 
my  men  had  slain  his  cattle.  Helios  was  deeply 
angered,  and  spoke  thus  before  the  assembled 
gods  :  '  Father  Zeus  and  all  ye  immortal  gods, 
behold  the  comrades  of  Odysseus  !  They  have 
slaughtered  my  heifers,  which  gladdened  my 
heart  as  I  went  up  to  heaven  and  down  to 
earth. 

'  If  they  do  not  pay  me  well  for  this  great 
wrong,  I  shall  go  down  among  the  dead  and 
give  them  light,  but  I  will  give  no  light  to  the 
living.'  '  Shine  on,  O  Sun,  in  the  bright  sky,' 
said  Zeus,  '  for  I  will  cut  their  ship  to  pieces 
with  a  thunder-bolt,  as  it  tosses  on  a  black  sea.' 
I  could  only  chide  my  comrades.  I  could  not 
think  of  any  sufficient  redress,  for  the  cattle 
were  dead. 

And  here  happened  a  wonder  which  amazed 
my  comrades.  The  skins  of  the  dead  animals 
crawled  over  the  ground,  and  the  flesh  lowed  as 
they  had  done  when  alive.  Nevertheless,  my 
companions  continued  to  kill  and  eat  the  best 


IO4  Odysseus 

oxen  in  the  herds  for  six  days,  when  a  favor- 
able wind  sprang  up,  and  we  went  on  board 
and  set  sail  once  more. 

After  we  had  lost  sight  of  land,  and  nothing 
was  before  us  but  sky  and  sea,  a  sudden  dark- 
ness shrouded  the  heavens,  and  there  arose  a 
violent  storm.  The  vessel  was  hurled  hither 
and  thither  by  the  towering  billows  ;  the  hurri- 
cane tore  the  sails  and  dashed  the  mast  against 
the  pilot's  head,  crushing  the  bones,  and  he  was 
cast  headlong  into  the  sea. 

Then  Zeus  sent  a  thunder-bolt  into  the  ship, 
and  broke  it  nearly  in  two.  The  boat  was  filled 
with  a  sulphurous  smoke,  and  my  comrades 
were  shaken  off  into  the  sea  and  drowned. 
They  floated  round  me,  but  I  moved  about  in 
the  ship  until  the  bottom  and  the  sides  had 
broken  away  from  each  other  and  the  mast 
had  snapped  off  at  its  base.  I  took  the  mast, 
which  had  a  thong  of  bull's-hide  round  it,  and 
tied  it  to  the  keel.  I  took  my  seat  upon  this 
frail  craft,  and  the  storm  whirled  me  about. 

After  awhile  the  west  wind  ceased,  and  the 
south  wind  began  to  blow,  which  was  still 
worse  for  me,  since  it  took  me  back  to  dread 
Charybdis.  All  night  long  I  was  tossed  on  the 
waves,  and  at  dawn  I  drew  near  to  Charybdis. 
As  the  monster  was  swallowing  the  salt  brine, 


Odysseus  Departs  from  Scheria     105 

I  caught  hold  of  the  fig-tree  and  clung  to  it  like 
a  bat  till  she  should  throw  up  my  poor  raft  I 
waited  long,  but  at  last  the  timbers  were  thrown 
out  of  the  whirlpool,  and  I  dropped  down  upon 
them,  and  sat  on  them  and  rowed  with  my 
hands.  I  floated  about  on  the  waters  for  nine 
long  days,  and  on  the  tenth  I  came  to  Calyp- 
so's island.  She  welcomed  me,  and  detained 
me  seven  years,  as  I  have  already  told  thee,  O 
Arete,  and  why  should  I  repeat  a  tale  already 
narrated  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE   DEPARTURE  OF  ODYSSEUS   FROM   THE 
ISLAND  OF  SCHERIA 

ALL  the  guests  had  listened  with  deep  atten- 
tion to  the  recital  of  Odysseus ;  all  were  greatly 
interested,  and  when  he  ended  they  did  not  stir 
or  speak  a  word.  Alkinoos  was  the  first  to 
break  the  silence,  and  he  said :  "  Renowned 
Odysseus,  since  thou  hast  come  to  our  country, 
I  hope  that  thy  sufferings  are  at  an  end  and 
that  thou  wilt  reach  thy  native  land  safely  and 
soon."  Then  the  King  turned  to  his  guests  and 
addressed  them  :  "  Phaeacians,  let  us  each  pre- 


106  Odysseus 

sent  one  more  gift,  a  large  tripod  and  a  vase,  to 
the  hero  who  has  come  among  us." 

The  Phaeacians  received  his  words  approv- 
ingly, and  each  went  at  once  to  his  home  to 
sleep.  But  when  morning  came  they  all  sent 
their  gifts  to  the  ship,  where  they  were  packed 
carefully  under  the  benches  by  the  King  him- 
self, and  the  guests  returned  to  the  palace, 
where  a  banquet  was  spread  for  them. 

Alkinoos  sacrificed  an  ox  to  Zeus,  and  they 
sat  down  at  the  table.  The  enjoyment  ran 
high,  and  the  old  poet,  Demodokos,  sang  sweet 
songs.  They  feasted  all  day,  and  when  the  sun 
was  near  its  setting  Odysseus  said :  "  King 
Alkinoos,  let  us  pour  out  the  last  libation  and 
offer  up  the  last  prayer,  for  all  things  have 
come  to  pass  that  my  soul  desired.  May  the 
gods  bless  thy  gifts.  May  I  find  my  home,  my 
wife  and  child,  and  friends.  I  pray  the  gods 
to  grant  thee  all  that  is  good,  and  may  no  evil 
ever  befall  thy  land.  Be  pleased  to  send  me 
hence,  and  fare  thee  well." 

Thus  he  spoke,  right  glad  that  the  day  was 
done  and  eager  to  set  sail.  The  people  ap- 
proved his  timely  words,  and  seizing  their  gob- 
lets they  poured  out  wine  on  to  the  ground, 
an  offering  to  the  gods,  and  they  wished  god- 
speed to  their  guest.  Odysseus  arose  and 


Odysseus  Departs  from   Scheria     107 

placed  a  goblet  in  the  hands  of  the  Queen, 
addressing  her  thus:  "Farewell,  O  Queen,  I 
wish  thee  a  long  and  happy  life,  a  peaceful  old 
age  down  to  the  grave,  from  which  no  one 
may  escape;  rejoice  in  the  possession  of  thy 
home,  thy  people,  thy  children,  and  the  King, 
thy  husband." 

So  spoke  Odysseus,  and  left  the  hall.  The 
King  sent  a  herald  to  show  him  the  way  to  the 
port  where  the  ship  was  waiting  for  him.  At 
the  same  time  Arete  also  sent  down  some 
maids,  who  carried  a  new  cloak  and  tunic,  a 
well-wrought  coffer  full  of  gifts,  and  an  abun- 
dance of  food  for  the  journey. 

These  things  the  crew  took  from  their  hands 
and  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel. 
They  spread  a  nice  bed  for  him  on  the  deck, 
where  he  might  sleep  quietly.  When  every 
thing  was  ready,  Odysseus  embarked,  and  the 
sailors  slipped  the  cables  and  took  their  seats 
at  the  oars.  Odysseus  fell  into  a  deep,  sweet 
slumber,  but  the  ship  flew  forward  faster  than  a 
bird  could  fly,  making  rapid  headway  toward 
the  island  of  Ithaca. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

ODYSSEUS  ARRIVES  AT  ITHACA 

WHEN  the  morning  star  arose  the  ship 
reached  Ithaca.  It  entered  a  harbor  called 
Phorkys,  where  there  was  a  grotto  sacred  to 
the  nymphs,  and  it  was  shaded  at  the  entrance 
by  an  olive-tree.  Stone  vases  stood  around  in 
the  grotto,  and  there  bees  had  stored  up  honey. 
The  nymphs  spun  their  fine  thread  from  stone 
spindles  there,  and  wove  their  sea-purple  robes. 
Springs  of  cool  water  flowed  through  the 
grotto,  and  there  was  an  entrance  for  mortals 
and  one  which  was  kept  holy  for  the  gods. 

When  the  ship  touched  the  beach  the  sailors 
disembarked  and  carried  the  sleeping  Odysseus 
on  a  rug  on  to  the  shore  and  laid  him  down. 
They  brought  his  presents  also  from  under  the 
ship's  benches  and  laid  them  under  the  olive- 
tree,  a  short  distance  from  the  road,  for  fear 
that  some  evil-minded  person  would  take  them 
before  Odysseus  woke  up. 

Then  the  crew  sailed  homeward,  but  Posei- 
don saw  them  and  was  angry  because  his  pur- 
pose to  cause  Odysseus  endless  suffering  had 
been  thwarted.  He  at  once  complained  to 


Odysseus  Arrives  at  Ithaca       109 

Zeus  that  the  Phaeacians  had  restored  Odys- 
seus to  his  native  land,  with  gifts  finer  and 
more  valuable  than  anything  he  could  have 
brought  from  Troy.  Zeus  listened  to  his 
complaint  and  gave  him  authority  to  destroy 
the  Phaeacian  boat  and  its  crew.  Poseidon 
promptly  repaired  to  the  island  of  Scheria,  and 
when  the  ship  came  in  sight  of  the  town  he 
transformed  it  into  a  towering  rock,  that  it 
might  hide  the  island  from  mariners  and  the 
Phasacians  would  no  longer  be  tempted  to  es- 
cort strangers  to  their  homes. 

The  ship  had  gone,  and  it  was  broad  day- 
light when  Odysseus  awoke.  He  did  not  rec- 
ognize his  own  country,  he  had  been  away 
from  it  for  such  a  long  time,  and  besides  that, 
Athena  had  spread  a  dense  fog  over  it.  His 
first  thought  was  that  the  Phasacians  had  de- 
ceived him  and  left  him  on  an  unknown  shore. 
He  began  to  accuse  them  of  treachery,  and 
prayed  to  Zeus  to  punish  them.  He  looked 
around  and  found  that  his  gifts  had  been  care- 
fully placed,  so  he  knew  that  he  had  not  been 
robbed.  He  counted  his  gifts  and  examined 
them. 

There  were  tripods  and  vases  of  gold  and 
brass  and  beautiful  hand-woven  garments.  He 
paced  up  and  down  the  shore  and  wept  and 


no  Odysseus 

wailed  aloud.  Then  Athena  appeared  to  him 
disguised  as  a  shepherd  lad. 

When  Odysseus  saw  her,  he  hastened  to  her 
and  said :  "  Hail,  fair  youth  !  I  am  a  stranger 
and  find  myself  for  the  first  time  in  this  place. 
I  entreat  thee  to  tell  me  the  name  of  this  coun- 
try, and  what  kind  of  people  inhabit  it."  The 
goddess  answered  him  :  "  Truly,  stranger,  thou 
must  come  from  a  far-off  land  that  thou  dost 
not  know  Ithaca,  which  is  known  from  the  ris- 
ing to  the  setting  of  the  sun. 

"  It  is  indeed  a  stony  island  but  it  is  not  bar- 
ren, nor  is  it  a  good  place  for  raising  horses.  It 
is  rich  in  grain  and  grapes.  It  has  an  abundance 
of  dew  and  rain,  and  most  delicious  wine  is  made 
here.  Nowhere  can  be  found  handsomer  goats 
or  finer  cattle.  Every  kind  of  tree  grows  in 
its  forests,  and  its  springs  are  never  dry.  The 
fame  of  Ithaca  has  reached  even  as  far  as  Troy 
itself  which,  I  am  told,  lies  far  from  Hellas." 

Odysseus  was  overjoyed  to  find  that  he  was 
in  his  own  country.  But  he  did  not  venture  to 
tell  his  name  to  the  shepherd,  nor  whence  he 
came.  Instead  of  that  he  told  a  long  story  that 
became  from  Crete,  which  he  had  been  obliged 
to  leave  because  he  had  killed  the  King's  son, 
who  had  robbed  him. 

Athena  smiled  and,  assuming  the  form  of  a 


Odysseus  Arrives  at  Ithaca       in 

beautiful  woman,  took  him  by  the  hand  and 
said :  "  Thou  crafty  man,  why  dost  thou  tell 
such  lies  ?  Dost  thou  not  know  Athena,  daugh- 
ter of  Zeus,  who  has  protected  thee  everywhere 
and  saved  thee  from  all  danger?  I  have  just 
come  again  to  assist  thee  in  hiding  thy  treas- 
ures and  to  tell  thee  what  thou  must  encounter 
in  thine  own  palace.  But  thou  must  not  repeat 
anything  which  I  tell  thee,  nor  make  thyself 
known  to  any  man  or  woman.  And  thou  must 
bear  many  indignities  in  silence  until  the  right 
time  comes,  for  there  are  many  violent  men  in 
thy  halls." 

Odysseus's  heart  was  filled  with  joy.  He 
knelt  down  and  kissed  the  soil  of  his  native 
land.  "  Tell  me,  is  it  true,"  he  said,  "  that  I  am 
in  my  own  beloved  Ithaca?  I  pray  thee,  god- 
dess, do  not  jest  with  n.e." 

"  Thy  native  land !  Such  ever  is  thy  thought," 
answered  the  goddess.  "Any  other  man  would 
have  hastened  with  all  speed  to  his  wife  and 
home.  But  thou  must  wait  and  come  not  at 
once  into  the  presence  of  Penelope.  She  sits 
within  thy  palace,  weeping  night  and  day  be- 
cause thou  dost  not  come.  Hide  thy  gifts  here 
in  this  grotto,  and  I  will  tell  thee  what  to  do 
next." 

With   a  glad    heart   Odysseus    saluted  the 


H2  Odysseus 

nymphs  of  the  cave  and  spring  :  "  Hail  to  you, 
nymphs  of  my  native  land,  daughters  of  Zeus ! 
I  thought  I  should  never  see  you  again.  I 
shall  bring  you  rich  gifts  in  days  to  come,  if  it 
please  Athena  to  keep  me  from  harm."  After 
he  had  carried  the  presents  into  the  grotto  and 
carefully  hidden  them,  he  sat  down  with  the 
goddess  among  the  gnarled  roots  of  the  olive- 
tree,  and  they  laid  plots  to  destroy  Penelope's 
impudent  suitors.  Athena  told  him  about  the 
trouble  they  had  caused  her ;  how  they  had  es- 
tablished themselves  in  her  own  home,  trying 
to  win  her  for  a  wifei  For  three  years  the  no- 
ble Penelope  had  kept  these  arrogant  men  in 
suspense,  deluded  with  empty  hopes,  while  she 
waited  for  her  husband's  return.  When  Odys- 
seus heard  these  words  he  was  greatly  disturbed, 
and  said :  "  Woe  is  me  !  I  might  have  been  slain 
in  my  own  home  but  for  these  timely  words. 
Now  I  am  forearmed.  Stand  by  me,  I  pray,  in 
my  great  need,  and  give  me  strength  to  meet  my 
enemies.  If  thou  art  my  helper,  I  can  resist, 
single-handed,  three  hundred  foes." 

"  Take  courage,"  said  the  goddess.  "  But  to 
carry  out  our  plans  I  must  change  thee  to  a 
miserable  old  man  with  a  wrinkled  face  and 
clad  in  ragged  garments,  so  that  no  one  can 
recognize  thee. 


ARETHUSA,    NYMPH   OF  THE   SPRING   NEAR   KORAX. 


Odysseus  Seeks  the  Swineherd     113 

Then  must  thou  go  to  thy  faithful  swine- 
herd, Eumaios,  who  loves  thy  wife  and  child 
and  thy  whole  house. 

Thou  wilt  find  him  as  he  feeds  the  swine 
on  acorns  in  a  field  near  the  mountain,  Korax, 
and  the  spring,  Arethusa.  He  will  tell  thee  all 
the  doings  in  thy  house.  Meantime  I  will  take 
my  way  to  Sparta.  Telemachos,  thy  son,  is 
there.  He  went  to  visit  Menelaos  and  try  to 
find  out  if  there  were  any  news  of  thee.  I  will 
call  him  to  return  to  Ithaca." 

The  goddess  touched  Odysseus  with  her 
magic  wand.  At  once  he  shrank  and  withered 
into  a  wrinkled,  shabby,  old  beggar.  Then  she 
gave  him  a  staff  and  a  tattered  sack  and  sent 
him  to  his  loyal  swineherd  while  she  took  her 
way  to  Sparta. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

ODYSSEUS  SEEKS  THE  SWINEHERD 

ODYSSEUS  left  the  haven  by  a  narrow  stony 
path  and  took  his  way  to  the  dwelling  of  his 
faithful  swineherd,  who  thought  more  of  the 
welfare  of  his  master  than  did  all  the  rest  of 
the  servants  whom  Odysseus  had.  He  found 
him  seated  in  the  yard  which  he  himself  had 


H4  Odysseus 

made  of  stone  for  the  swine  of  the  absent  King, 
and  had  enclosed  with  a  thick  hedge  of  thorns. 
He  had  driven  strong  posts  of  oak  around  it, 
also.  Inside  the  yard  he  had  made  twelve 
sties,  and  in  each  sty  there  were  fifty  sows 
with  their  little  ones.  The  males  were  kept 
outside  and  were  fewer  in  number,  for  Euma- 
ios  was  compelled  to  send  a  very  fat  one  to  the 
suitors  every  day,  and  therefore  there  were 
only  eighteen  score. 

Near  them  were  four  large  savage  dogs  as 
guards.  They  were  more  like  wolves  than 
dogs.  Eumaios  was  busy  making  a  pair  of 
sandals  from  an  ox-hide,  for  his  own  use.  The 
other  swineherds  had  gone  on  errands,  three 
of  them  to  drive  pigs  to  pasture,  while  the 
fourth  had  taken  a  hog  to  the  suitors  in  the 
city. 

When  the  dogs  saw  Odysseus  they  barked 
and  rushed  upon  him,  and  they  would  have 
torn  him  to  pieces,  but  Eumaios  drove  them  off 
with  stones  and  said  :  ."  Thou  poor  old  man, 
the  dogs  came  very  near  tearing  thee  limb 
from  limb,  and  that  would  have  been  a  great 
shame  and  sorrow  to  me. 

The  gods  have  already  sent  me  trouble 
enough.  Here  I  sit  weeping  and  mourning 
for  my  beloved  master,  and  take  care  of  his 


Odysseus  Seeks  the  Swineherd      115 

swine  in  order  that  strangers  may  eat  them. 
Who  knows  where  he  may  be  wandering  as 
a  beggar  among  people  who  speak  another 
tongue?  But  come,  old  man,  let  us  go  into 
my  lodge  and  eat,  and  then  thou  mayest  tell  me 
who  thou  art  and  what  misfortunes  thou  hast 
suffered." 

Odysseus  followed  the  swineherd  into  the 
cabin.  Eumaios  threw  an  armful  of  rushes  on 
the  floor  and  covered  it  with  a  rug  of  goat-skin 
and  bade  his  guest  be  seated. 

Odysseus  was  gratified  at  this  kind  recep- 
tion, and  said  to  the  swineherd :  "  May  Zeus 
and  all  the  other  immortal  gods  give  thee,  my 
host,  all  the  good  of  earth  for  thy  hospitality." 

The  good  swineherd  answered  him :  "  My 
guest,  I  should  consider  it  a  great  sin  not  to 
receive  a  stranger  hospitably,  even  if  he  looked 
more  miserable  than  thou.  Strangers  and  beg- 
gars are  children  of  Zeus.  The  hospitality  I 
can  extend  to  thee  is  slight  but  sincere,  for  ser- 
vants have  little  to  offer,  especially  when,  like 
me,  they  have  new  masters.  Odysseus  loved 
me  much.  Would  that  the  gods  might  send 
him  back  to  us.  He  would  have  paid  me  for 
my  toil.  He  would  have  given  me  a  home,  a 
little  land,  and  a  wife.  But  he  is  dead.  May 
the  whole  race  of  Helen  be  destroyed,  for  it 


n6  Odysseus 

was  she  who  brought  noble  men  to  destruc- 
tion." 

The  swineherd  drew  his  belt  around  him 
and  hastened  to  the  pen  where  the  pigs  were 
shut  up.  He  seized  two  little  pigs  and  slew 
them  and  roasted  them  on  a  spit  over  the  fire. 
He  sprinkled  salt  over  the  savory  meat  and 
brought  it  to  Odysseus.  And  he  brought  deli- 
cate wine  in  a  wooden  cup,  as  well. 

Then  he  said :  "  Eat,  stranger,  for  this  is  the 
best  I  have  to  give.  The  suitors,  who  fear 
neither  god  nor  man,  eat  the  fat  hogs.  They 
gorge  themselves  with  the  costliest  food  in  the 
house,  both  wine  and  meat,  and  only  these  lit- 
tle lean  porkers  are  left  for  us.  Yet  there  is 
still  an  abundance,  for  my  master  was  very  rich. 
He  had  twelve  herds  of  horned  cattle  and  as 
many  swine  on  the  mainland,  and  twelve  flocks 
of  sheep  and  goats.  Here,  on  the  island,  graze 
eleven  flocks  of  goats,  tended  by  as  many  trusty 
herdsmen,  each  of  whom  has  to  send  a  fattened 
goat  for  the  table  of  the  suitors  every  day.  As 
for  myself,  I  take  care  of  these  swine,  and  each 
day  I  choose  the  best  to  send  to  the  city." 

Odysseus  ate  the  flesh  arid  drank  the  wine 
while  Eumaios  was  telling  him  these  things, 
and  could  hardly  keep  from  giving  vent  to  his 
anger.  But  he  kept  silence  and  meditated  ven- 


Odysseus  Seeks  the  Swineherd      117 

geance  on  the  suitors.  When  the  meal  was 
done  he  said :  "  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  all  about 
thy  rich  and  kind  master.  Thou  didst  say  that 
he  went  out  with  Agamemnon  to  fight  the  Tro- 
jans. Perhaps  I  know  him  and  can  give  thee 
some  information  concerning  him." 

The  noble  swineherd  answered :  "  Be  silent, 
aged  man,  for  we  have  ceased  to  believe  the 
tales  told  us  by  wanderers.  Every  beggar  who 
comes  this  way  calls  on  my  mistress  and  tells 
her  falsehoods  about  seeing  Odysseus,  and  tries 
to  make  her  think  that  he  will  come  home  in  a 
short  time.  Then  she  treats  him  kindly  and 
loads  him  with  gifts. 

How  shall  we  know  but  thou  dost  make  up 
just  such  a  story  in  order  to  receive  a  tunic  and 
a  mantle?  It  is  a  fact  that  my  master  does  not 
return.  Who  knows  on  what  spot  of  the  earth 
his  bones  are  mouldering,  or  what  dogs  and 
birds  have  devoured  him  ?  I  shall  never  cease 
to  grieve  for  him.  He  loved  me  as  he  would 
have  loved  a  son.  I  shall  never  find  such  a  kind 
master  again.  Even  my  father  and  mother  were 
not  so  good  to  me.  Although  he  will  never  be 
with  us  any  more,  I  keep  on  doing  his  will." 

Odysseus  replied :  "  Thou  dost  see  that  I  am 
half  naked  for  want  of  clothing,  but  I  will  never 
take  a  reward,  even  though  I  am  in  rags,  until 


n8  Odysseus 

Odysseus  is  really  here.  I  hate  the  wretch 
who  tells  lies  to  enrich  himself  as  I  hate  death. 
I  call  Zeus  to  witness,  and  this  hospitable  board 
and  the  hearth  of  Odysseus,  that  what  I  tell 
thee  will  come  true.  Odysseus  will  be  here  at 
the  end  of  this  month,  and  he  will  be  avenged 
on  those  men  who  have  robbed  him  and  in- 
sulted his  wife  and  son." 

"And  yet  I  will  not  give  thee  any  reward 
for  thy  news,  old  man,"  said  Eumaios,  "  for 
Odysseus  is  dead.  He  will  never  come  again. 
Drink  in  peace  and  let  us  talk  of  other  things. 
Do  not  take  this  great  oath,  as  much  as  we 
wish — Laertes,  Penelope,  Telemachos,  and  I — 
that  Odysseus  might  come.  But  now,  as  if  we 
had  not  troubles  enough,  a  new  one  has  come 
upon  us.  I  know  not  what  evil  demon  put  it 
into  the  mind  of  Telemachos  to  go  to  Sparta 
to  inquire  about  his  father.  And  the  ungodly 
suitors  have  sent  out  a  ship  to  watch  for  him, 
and  kill  him  on  his  return.  We  shall  lose  him, 
too,  if  Zeus  does  not  hold  a  protecting  hand 
over  him. 

But  tell  me,  dear  old  man,  from  what  coun- 
try dost  thou  come?  Who  are  thy  parents? 
Tell  me  of  thy  toils  and  sufferings." 

The  time  had  not  yet  come  when  Odysseus 
thought  it  best  to  reveal  himself.  He  wanted 


Odysseus  Seeks  the  Swineherd      119 

to  stay  with  the  swineherd  until  his  son  should 
return,  and  he  had  had  the  opportunity  of 
making  the  best  plan  for  ridding  his  house  of 
the  suitors.  So  he  told  the  swineherd  a  long 
string  of  stories.  He  said  he  was  a  son  of  the 
King  of  Crete  ;  that  he  went  to  Troy,  where  he 
met  Odysseus  and  fought  by  his  side.  Return- 
ing, he  wandered  about,  and,  after  many  ad- 
ventures, met  Odysseus  again  getting  ready  to 
return  to  Ithaca.  As  for  himself,  he  had  been 
robbed  even  to  his  clothing  and  cast  on  this 
island. 

He  told  the  tale  so  well  that  the  swineherd 
believed  him,  and  even  killed  a  fat  hog  in  his 
honor.  And  he  made  him  welcome  to  his  lodge 
and  prepared  a  good  bed  for  him  near  the  fire, 
and  covered  him  with  goat-skins.  The  night 
was  cold  and  damp,  and  a  cutting  wind  was 
blowing  outside.  The  other  servants  lay  down 
near  Odysseus  to  sleep,  but  Eumaios  took  a 
sharp  sword  and  thick  mantle  and  went  out 
near  the  pens  to  watch  the  swine  all  night 
Odysseus  saw  with  gratitude  how  faithfully 
this  servant  attended  to  his  duty. 


PART  ID 
THE  TRIUMPH  OF  ODYSSEUS 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

ATHENA  ADVISES  TELEMACHOS 

AT  the  time  when  Odysseus  was  wrecked, 
after  his  comrades  had  eaten  of  the  cattle  of 
Helios,  and  he  was  cast  up  on  to  the  island  of 
Calypso,  Athena  prayed  to  Zeus,  her  mighty 
sire,  that  he  might  be  restored  to  Ithaca,  his 
native  land.  She  prayed  that  Hermes,  the 
messenger  of  the  gods,  might  be  sent  to  Ca- 
lypso with  the  express  command  that  she 
should  send  Odysseus  home.  Zeus  smiled  and 
granted  the  request- 
Then  Athena  tied  golden  sandals  under  her 
feet  and  taking  a  long,  heavy  spear,  she  rushed 
like  a  whirlwind  down  from  the  heights  of 
Olympos  and  stood  at  the  doorway  of  Odys- 
seus' house,  among  the  men  of  Ithaca.  She 
found  the  haughty  suitors  assembled  there 
eating  and  drinking. 

Telemachos  saw  the  goddess  before  anyone 
else.  She  was  disguised  to  resemble  Mentor, 
a  wise  chief  who  had  led  the  Taphians  in  the 
Trojan  war.  Telemachos  rose  at  once,  like  a 
gracious  host,  and  took  the  right  hand  of  the 


124  Odysseus 

stranger  and  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome. 
Athena  saw  with  anger  how  the  ungodly  woo- 
ers ate  and  drank  and  rioted  gluttonously, 
while  the  servants  of  Telemachos  were  obliged 
to  administer  to  their  wants.  Some  of  them 
were  kept  mixing  the  wines  and  water  in  large 
craters;  others  had  to  clear  and  clean  the 
tables,  and  others  again  prepared  and  carved 
the  meats  and  carried  them  round  to  the 
suitors. 

Telemachos  led  the  stranger  away  from  this 
noisy  hall,  that  he  might  not  be  annoyed  by 
their  boisterous  behavior.  He  bade  him  sit 
down  on  a  throne,  and  placed  a  foot-stool  under 
his  feet.  Then  he  drew  his  own  chair  from 
among  the  suitors  and  sat  near  the  stranger, 
hoping  to  hear  news  of  his  absent  father.  A 
maid  brought  a  silver  pitcher  and  basin  and  let 
the  stranger  wash  his  hands.  A  table  was 
placed  before  him,  laden  with  the  choicest 
viands,  while  a  herald  filled  a  goblet  with  wine 
for  him.  When  they  had  enjoyed  their  meal, 
Telemachos  asked  the  stranger  his  name  and 
country. 

"  I  am  Mentor,  son  of  the  Taphian  King," 
said  Athena.  "  I  came  here  in  my  ship  with  a 
crew  of  friends,  on  a  journey  to  the  Isle  of 
Cyprus,  in  search  of  copper,  and  I  brought 


Athena  Advises   Telemachos        125 

iron  to  give  in  exchange.  I  am  an  old  friend 
of  Odysseus.  I  have  left  my  ship  in  the  bay, 
back  of  the  forest.  Laertes  will  tell  thee  who 
I  am.  It  is  said  that  he  does  not  come  to  the 
palace  any  more,  but  lives  alone  in  the  coun- 
try, mourning  over  the  loss  of  his  son  day  and 
night.  It  seems  that  the  gods  have  long  de- 
layed Odysseus.  Who  knows  where  he  is  ?  I 
am  sure  that  he  is  not  dead.  And  now  tell  me, 
what  feast  is  going  on  here,  and  who  are  these 
men  ?  Are  they  invited  guests  ?  Is  it  a  ban- 
quet I  see,  or  is  there  to  be  a  wedding  ?  It  is 
not  a  pleasant  sight  in  any  case,  for  the  men  are 
coarse  in  their  actions  and  ungodly  in  their 
speech.  Every  friend  of  Odysseus  must  feel  sad 
to  see  them  in  this  place." 

"  As  long  as  my  father  was  here,"  answered 
Telemachos,  "  our  house  was  respectable  and 
rich.  But  the  gods  have  forsaken  us,  and  we  are 
destined  to  destruction.  No  news  of  my  father's 
death  has  ever  reached  us  ;  nevertheless,  all  the 
young  men  of  the  first  families  of  Ithaca  and  the 
surrounding  isles  flock  to  our  house  and  seek 
my  mother  for  a  wife  and  squander  my  father's 
riches.  My  mother  does  not  favor  the  idea  of 
another  marriage,  and  has  not  promised  herself 
to  any  of  the  suitors.  She  fears  them,  and  so 
she  does  not  reject  their  suits,  yet  she  will 


1 26  Odysseus 

not  end  the  trouble  by  marrying  one  of  them. 
They  will  not  go  away,  but  make  themselves 
at  home  here  and  eat  up  my  inheritance. 
They  only  want  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
kill  me." 

Athena  grew  angry  at  this,  and  said  :  "  I 
would  that  Odysseus  might  come  this  very 
moment  to  chastise  these  atrocious  fellows. 
Woe  to  them  if  he  should  appear  at  the  door 
with  his  helmet  and  shield  and  two  tough 
spears,  just  as  he  looked  when  I  first  beheld  him 
in  my  own  home.  Then  these  suitors  would 
find  a  bitter  marriage-feast  and  a  speedy  end. 
Vengeance,  however,  rests  with  the  gods. 

Now,  let  me  consider  the  best  way  to  get 
these  suitors  out  of  the  house.  As  an  old  friend 
of  thy  father,  let  me  advise  thee.  To-morrow 
call  thy  people  together  in  council  and  tell  the 
suitors  to  depart.  If  thy  mother  has  any  in- 
clination to  wed  again,  send  her  to  her  father's 
house.  He  is  rich  and  powerful,  and  can  give 
her  a  splendid  wedding,  such  as  is  suitable  for 
the  daughter  of  a  king,  and  bestow  an  ample 
dower. 

Then  launch  thy  finest  ship.  Man  it  with 
twenty  good  oarsmen  and  put  out  to  sea  in 
search  of  thy  father.  Sail  to  Pylos  first  and 
consult  with  Nestor,  and  go  to  Sparta  next  and 


Athena  Advises   Telemachos         127 

See  Menelaos,  who  has  returned  from  Troy  re- 
cently. Stay  with  him  awhile  if  he  can  assure 
thee  that  thy  father  lives.  But  if  he  tells  thee 
that  thy  father  is  surely  dead,  return  as  quickly 
as  possible  and  build  a  mound  to  him,  and  cause 
the  altar  to  be  piled  high  with  sacrifices  and  the 
funeral  games  to  take  place.  Then  let  thy 
mother  marry  again. 

Thou  art  no  longer  a  child,  and  it  is  not 
seemly  to  allow  such  indignities.  Be  brave  and 
act  without  fear,  that  men  may  honor  thee. 
When  thou  hast  performed  these  deeds,  let 
thy  care  be  to  drive  out  the  suitors.  But  now 
I  must  return  to  my  ship,  for  my  companions 
will  be  uneasy  over  my  long  absence." 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  to  me  as  a  father  speaks 
to  a  son,"  answered  Telemachos.  "  I  shall  bear 
thy  words  in  mind.  And  now  I  pray  thee  stay 
awhile  to  rest  and  bathe.  I  cannot  let  thee  go 
to  thy  ship  without  some  handsome  gift,  such 
as  one  always  bestows  upon  an  honored  guest/' 

"  Telemachos,  do  not  detain  me  longer,"  re- 
plied Athena.  "  I  must  depart  at  once.  Keep 
thy  gift  until  I  return,  and  then  I  will  take  it  to 
my  home."  She  vanished  as  she  spoke,  and  all 
that  Telemachos  saw  was  a  fleet-winged  bird 
flying  upward  high  in  the  air.  Telemachos  was 
astonished,  and  knew  that  he  had  been  talking 


128  Odysseus 

face  to  face  with  some  deity.  He  thought  over 
all  that  the  goddess  had  told  him,  and  resolved 
to  do  exactly  as  he  had  been  instructed. 


CHAPTER    XXX 

TELEMACHOS  ASTONISHES  THE  WOOERS 

THE  feast  continued.  The  wooers  ate  and 
drank  but  were  silent,  for  an  illustrious  bard  was 
singing  to  them  of  the  Trojan  war.  Telemachos 
walked  forth  in  the  midst  of  them,  his  heart  in- 
spired with  courage.  Penelope  had  heard  the 
song  as  she  sat  in  her  chamber  over  the  hall,  and 
she  came  down  the  lofty  stairway  attended  by 
two  maids.  She  implored  the  bard,  with  tears 
to  change  the  song,  since  it  was  the  one  most 
sacred  to  her  and  made  her  sad. 

Then  said  Telemachos :  "  My  mother,  let  thy 
heart  be  strong  to  bear  this  song  which  all  men 
love.  The  bard  must  sing  the  song  with  which 
he  is  inspired.  Retire  now,  I  pray  thee,  to  thy* 
room,  and  take  thy  maids  with  thee.  There 
teach  them  to  spin  and  weave — a  task  meet 
for  a  princess.  But  leave  to  me  the  ordering 
of  the  feast  and  the  care  of  the  suitors.  Such 


Telemachos  Astonishes  the  Wooers     129 

a  duty  belongs  to  a  man,  and  the  authority  is 
mine."  Penelope  was  amazed  at  his  words. 
She  withdrew  to  her  own  rooms  with  her  at- 
tendants and  wept  and  mourned  for  her  absent 
lord  until  she  fell  asleep. 

When  the  minstrel  had  finished  his  song,  the 
suitors  began  to  be  noisy  and  riotous  again. 
Telemachos  could  no  longer  restrain  himself. 
"  Ye  insolent  suitors  of  my  mother,"  he  said  to 
them,  "  cease  your  uproar.  Your  lawlessness 
knows  no  bounds.  To-morrow  I  will  call  a 
general  assembly  of  all  the  Ithacans  and  warn 
you  to  depart.  If  ye  remain  in  my  house 
wasting  my  goods  and  eating  food  that  is  not 
your  own  I  will  call  down  vengeance  from  the 
gods,  and  ye  shall  die  in  this  very  palace." 

The  suitors  were  astonished  at  his  courage 
and  his  words.  He  had  never  before  spoken 
out  with  authority.  Antinoos  and  Euryma- 
chos,  the  most  insolent  of  them,  began  to  ridi- 
cule him  and  excite  the  others  to  make  fun  of 
him.  And  they  asked  Telemachos  what  guest 
he  had  been  entertaining  so  secretly  and  what 
ne\vs  he  had  brought  from  his  father.  The 
suitors  danced  and  sang,  eating  and  drinking, 
until  evening,  before  they  went  home. 

Telemachos  then  sought  his  own  couch.  His 
old  nurse,  Eurycleia,  led  the  way  with  two 


1 30  Odysseus 

torches.  She  had  been  a  faithful  servant  since 
Laertes,  in  his  early  manhood,  had  bought  her 
for  the  price  of  a  hundred  oxen. 

Telemachos  sat  down  on  his  bed,  and  remov- 
ing his  tunic  handed  it  to  the  nurse,  who  folded 
it  and  smoothed  it  and  hung  it  up.  He  lay 
down  and  covered  himself  with  soft  fleeces, 
while  Eurycleia  went  out  and  carefully  locked 
the  door.  But  sleep  did  not  come  to  him.  All 
night  he  thought  of  what  the  coming  day  would 
bring. 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

PENELOPE'S  WEB 

THE  next  morning,  at  dawn  of  day,  Telem- 
achos rose  from  his  bed  and  put  on  his  gar- 
ments. He  hung  his  sword  over  his  shoulder 
and  fastened  his  sandals  on  his  feet  and  strode 
bravely  forth.  He  summoned  his  heralds  at 
once  and  bade  them  call  a  council  of  the  Itha- 
cans.  The  people  came  at  the  appointed  time, 
and  Telemachos,  sceptre  in  hand,  took  his  place 
before  the  assembly  and  called  it  to  order. 

"  I.  have  not  summoned  you,  my  friends," 
he  said,  "in  order  that  ye  may  see  some  enter- 


Penelopes  Web  131 

taining  show,  but  out  of  dire  necessity.  I  bring 
no  news  of  war  and  I  have  nothing  to  say  that 
concerns  the  public  good.  You  all  know  the 
grief  which  has  befallen  me  on  account  of  my 
father,  your  king  and  leader,  who  loved  you  as 
a  parent  loves  his  children.  But  Odysseus  is 
gone  and  there  is  no  hope  of  his  return.  This 
misfortune  is  not  enough,  for  every  day  the 
young  men  of  the  leading  families  of  Ithaca 
and  the  surrounding  isles  meet  in  my  house 
and  vex  my  mother  with  unseemly  and  importu- 
nate offers  of  marriage. 

There  they  are  now  installed,  eating  our 
food,  drinking  our  wine,  and  wasting  our 
money,  for  Odysseus  is  not  here  to  drive  them 
out.  I  have  no  way  of  expelling  them  from 
my  home.  My  friends,  consider  these  wrongs 
and  help  me  to  drive  these  robbers  from  the 
house  of  your  king.  It  would  be  a  shame  to 
the  people  of  Ithaca  if  it  were  noised  around 
that  they  left  the  son  of  their  chief  in  the  hands 
of  plunderers  without  giving  him  help." 

Thus  spoke  Telemachos,  the  tears  running 
down  his  cheeks,  and  he  threw  the  sceptre  on 
the  ground.  The  people  were  greatly  moved, 
and  felt  pity  for  the  youth  who  had  to  suffer 
such  wrongs,  but  they  were  silent.  Only  An- 
tinoos,  the  most  insolent  of  the  suitors,  took 


132  Odysseus 

up  the  word  and  said :  "  Shameless  Telemachos, 
how  dost  thou  dare  to  chide  us  for  this  state 
of  things!  Thy  mother  is  the  one  to  blame. 
She  has  been  leading  us  on  for  three  whole 
years.  She  is  skilful  and  crafty.  She  prom- 
ised, three  years  ago,  to  choose  one  of  us  for  a 
husband  as  soon  as  she  should  finish  the  wind- 
ing-sheets for  old  Laertes  in  case  of  his  death. 

Then  she  began  to  weave  upon  her  loom  a 
dainty  web  of  vast  length  and  width.  And  she 
said  to  each  one  of  us  :  '  Do  not  urge  me  to 
marry,  I  pray,  until  I  finish  these  shrouds  for  the 
hero  Laertes,  when  his  hour  of  death  shall  come. 
I  have  spun  an  abundance  of  fine  thread,  and  it 
must  not  be  wasted.  Besides  that,  the  dames 
of  Greece  would  speak  ill  of  me  if  I  should 
leave  my  husband's  father  without  a  shroud, 
for  he  has  had  great  wealth  all  his  life.'  In 
this  way  Penelope  gave  us  hope,  and  we  were 
too  generous  to  persist  in  forcing  her  to  choose 
at  once. 

She  went  on  in  this  way,  weaving  the  great 
web  by  day,  and  every  night  she  unravelled  by 
torchlight  all  that  she  had  woven  by  sunlight. 
She  has  deceived  us  long  enough.  We  have 
discovered  her  fraud  ;  for  a  woman  who  has 
seen  her  unravelling  the  web  has  told  us  all 
about  it.  She  must  finish  the  work  and  make 


Penelopes  Web  133 

her  choice  among  her  suitors.  If  .thou  dost 
wish  us  to  leave  thy  house,  thou  shalt  send  thy 
mother  to  her  parents  and  let  her  father  com- 
mand her  to  marry  one  of  us,  according  to  her 
choice.  When  this  is  done  no  one  will  disturb 
thee  any  longer. 

If,  however,  Penelope  prefers  to  treat  the  no- 
ble sons  of  Greece  with  such  malice  and  craft, 
we  will  go  right  on  consuming  thy  goods. 
She  will  thus  make  a  great  name  for  herself, 
but  she  will  impoverish  thee." 

"  I  shall  never  send  my  mother  away  from  her 
husband's  house,"  rejoined  Telemachos.  "  Liv- 
ing or  dead,  my  father  is  in  distant  lands,  and 
if  I  should  dismiss  his  wife  of  my  own  will,  I 
should  invite  the  hatred  of  the  gods  on  my 
guilty  head.  She  would  call  upon  the  Furies 
to  haunt  me ;  all  men  would  curse  me  ;  and  her 
father  would  demand  ample  satisfaction  of  me. 
I  will  never  speak  the  word  to  send  her  forth. 
Now,  get  you  gone  and  cease  squandering  my 
riches  or  I  will  call  down  the  wrath  of  the 
gods  on  you." 

Having  said  this,  Telemachos  sat  down,  and 
Zeus  sent  two  eagles  flying  over  the  heads  of  the 
wooers,  close  to  each  other.  They  looked  down 
upon  the  crowd  of  people  and  tore  each  other's 
heads  and  vanished.  The  Ithacans  saw  the 


1 34  Odysseus 

deadly  omen,  and  a  venerable  prophet  among 
them  stood  up  and  said  :  "  Noble  youths,  I 
advise  you  seriously  to  depart  from  this  royal 
house,  for  this  is  a  sign  that  Odysseus  is  coming 
home.  Woe  to  you  if  he  finds  you  in  his  palace. 
You  will  all  meet  a  direful  end." 

Eurymachos  answered  him:  "  Old  man,  keep 
thy  advice  and  thy  forebodings  for  thine  own 
children.  We  do  not  need  them.  Advise 
Telernachos  to  change  his  mind  and  send  his 
mother  home  to  her  father,  instead  of  prating 
foolishly  to  us.  As  long  as  he  keeps  her  here 
we  shall  continue  to  consume  his  wealth,  until 
he  has  nothing  left.  And  we  will  punish  thee 
severely  if  thou  dost  incite  this  young  man  to 
violence." 

Telemachos,  thinking  it  best  to  be  discreet,  re- 
plied :  "  Now  hear  me,  Eurymachos,  and  all  ye 
suitors.  Give  me  a  good  ship  and  twenty  men, 
that  I  may  go  from  land  to  land  in  search  of 
my  father.  If  I  find  that  he  lives  and  may  re- 
turn, I  will  wait  one  year  longer  for  him  to 
reach  home.  But  if  I  hear  that  he  is  not  alive, 
I  will  come  back  and  build  a  mound  to  his 
memory  and  give  him  a  funeral  worthy  of  such 
a  king.  Then  shall  my  mother  make  her 
choice  and  wed." 

Mentor,   the   stanch   friend   and   adviser    of 


The  Journey  of  Telemachos        135 

Odysseus,  sat  among  the  Ithacans  in  the  assem- 
bly. When  he  saw  how  Telemachos  was  put 
to  shame,  he  grew  angry.  He  rose  to  his  feet, 
and  addressed  the  people :  "  No  king  ever 
again  should  be  wise  and  good.  He  should 
be  hard  and  unjust,  since  no  one  of  you  has 
enough  love  for  Odysseus  to  stand  by  his  son. 
I  am  less  ashamed  of  the  impudent  suitors, 
than  I  am  of  the  weaklings  who  see  what  they 
are  doing  and  who  dare  not  interfere." 

"  Foolish  old  Mentor,"  said  one  of  the  suit- 
ors, "  what  art  thou  saying !  If  Odysseus, 
himself,  should  come  hither,  he  would  not  be 
able  to  drive  us  out.  If  anyone  thinks  himself 
strong  enough  to  do  it,  let  him  try  it.  Ye  Itha- 
cans disperse  to  your  homes,  and  leave  Mentor 
to  provide  the  boy  with  a  ship."  So  saying  he 
dispersed  the  crowd,  and  the  wooers  all  went 
into  the  palace  to  continue  their  revelry. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

THE  JOURNEY  OF  TELEMACHOS 

TELEMACHOS  left  the  assembly  and  went 
down  to  the  sea-shore  alone,  and  washing  his 
hands  in  the  surf  called  on  the  goddess  who 


136  Odysseus 

had  appeared  to  him  the  day  before  to  come  to 
his  assistance.  At  once  Athena  stood  by  his 
side  in  the  guise  and  with  the  voice  of  Mentor. 
She  urged  him  to  hasten  his  journey.  Telem* 
achos  took  new  courage,  and  returned  at  once 
to  his  house  where  he  found  his  old  nurse, 
Eurycleia,  alone.  He  revealed  to  her  his  in- 
tention, and  asked  her  to  assist  him  in  getting 
everything  ready  for  the  journey.  He  bade 
her  draw  twelve  jars  of  the  best  wine,  and 
twelve  skins  of  the  finest  meal  to  put  aboard 
the  ship. 

When  the  old  nurse  heard  this  she  wept  and 
beat  her  breast.  "  Dear  child,"  she  said,  "  who 
has  put  such  a  thought  into  thy  mind  ?  Why 
shouldst  thou,  an  only  son  and  well  beloved, 
wander  off  to  a  distant  land  ?  Be  warned  by 
what  thy  father  had  to  suffer  because  he  left 
his  own  country.  The  suitors  will  plot  to  kill 
thee  and  divide  thy  wealth.  Stay  here,  at 
home ;  there  is  no  need  that  thou  shouldst 
venture  over  the  fearful  sea." 

Telemachos  answered  her :  "  Take  courage, 
my  good  nurse  ;  this  journey  is  advised  of  a 
god.  Do  not  let  my  mother  know  of  my  de- 
parture for  eleven  or  twelve  days,  lest  she 
weep  and  mourn." 

The  nurse  promised  most  solemnly  that  she 


The  Journey  of  TeUmackos       137 

would  keep  his  secret  and  execute  his  orders. 
She  drew  the  wine  into  the  jars  and  filled  the 
strong  skins  with  meal.  Meantime,  Athena, 
blue-eyed  goddess,  taking  the  form  of  Telem- 
achos,  went  through  the  city  and  urged  the 
men  to  repair  to  the  ships  at  sundown,  for  she 
had  chosen  the  best  boats  in  Ithaca  for  the 
youth,  and  found  for  him  a  crew  that  was  glad 
to  serve  him. 

Then  the  blue-eyed  maid  went  to  the  palace 
and  poured  sleep  upon  the  eyelids  of  the  drunken 
suitors.  They  gladly  sought  their  beds  in  their 
own  homes.  Taking  the  form  of  Mentor,  she 
next  appeared  to  Telemachos  and  bade  him  fol- 
low her  to  the  beach.  When  they  reached  the 
galley,  he  found  his  comrades  waiting.  They 
hurried  up  to  the  palace  for  the  wine  and  meal, 
which  they  soon  brought  to  the  ship  and  stored 
in  the  hold.  Then  the  crew  slipped  the  cables 
which  held  the  ship  to  the  shore.  Athena  took 
her  seat  at  the  stern  and  Telemachos  sat  near 
her.  The  sails  were  spread  and  the  sailors  be- 
gan to  ply  their  oars.  Athena  raised  a  favor- 
able breeze  and  the  vessel  glided  forward  cut- 
ting her  way  through  the  roaring  waters. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

TELEMACHOS     IN     PYLOS 

AT  sunrise  the  ship  arrived  at  Pylos.  The 
people  of  that  town  were  all  assembled  on  the 
shore,  where  they  were  sacrificing  coal-black 
oxen  to  Poseidon.  Some  were  burning  fat  upon 
the  altar,  and  others  were  distributing  food 
among  those  who  were  offering  up  the  sacrifices, 
while  all  were  eating. 

The  Ithacans  touched  land.  Telemachos  and 
Athena  disembarked,  leaving  the  crew  to  guard 
the  ship,  and  went  up  to  the  crowd.  On  the 
way  Athena  cheered  Telemachos  and  advised 
him  what  to  say  to  the  people.  When  they  had 
come  near  enough  to  the  inhabitants  to  be  seen 
by  them,  the  people  rose  and  came  to  meet  the 
strangers.  First  of  all,  the  son  of  Nestor,  Pei- 
sistratos,  approached  and  took  each  of  them  by 
the  hand  and  led  them  to  the  feast.  He  bade 
them  be  seated  near  his  father  and  brought 
them  the  choicest  meat. 

After  the  strangers  had  eaten,  Peisistratos 
filled  a  golden  goblet  with  wine,  and  handed  it 
138 


Telemachos  in  Pylos  139 

to  Mentor,  as  the  elder.  Mentor  was  pleased 
with  the  young  man's  good  breeding  and  he 
took  the  goblet  and  poured  out  a  part  of  it  on 
the  ground  as  a  sacrifice  to  Poseidon,  with  a 
prayer  for  a  safe  return.  Then  he  handed  the 
goblet  to  Telemachos,  and  he  did  likewise. 

When  the  feast  was  over,  Nestor,  the  King 
of  Pylos,  said  to  his  guests :  "  The  time  has 
come,  dear  strangers,  when  it  is  fitting  to  ask 
your  names,  and  from  what  land  you  come. 
Do  you  roam  the  seas  as  pirates,  or  do  you 
come  on  an  errand  ?  " 

"  We  are  Greeks,"  said  Telemachos.  "  We 
come  from  Ithaca  to  seek  tidings  of  my  father, 
the  unfortunate  Odysseus,  who  went  to  war 
against  Troy  with  thee  and  the  other  Greek 
chiefs.  We  have  never  heard  anything  of  him 
during  all  these  long  years  and  do  not  know 
whether  he  is  living  or  dead.  I  pray  thee  tell 
me  anything  thou  may'st  know  about  him,  and 
conceal  nothing." 

"  My  son,"  Nestor  replied,  "  thou  dost  call  to 
mind  the  great  sufferings  borne  by  the  men  of 
Greece  ere  we  succeeded  in  conquering  Pri- 
am's town.  It  would  take  years  to  tell  thee  of 
the  brave  deeds  of  the  Greeks,  how  they  fought 
and  where  they  fell.  We  passed  nine  years  in 
worrying  the  enemy,  and  there  was  no  man 


140  Odysseus 

who  gave  better  counsel  or  performed  nobler 
deeds  than  did  Odysseus.  Art  thou  then  his 
son  ?  I  look  on  thee  in  wonder.  Yes,  thou  art 
like  him.  How  strange  to  hear  so  young  a 
man  speak  as  he  did! 

After  the  destruction  of  Troy,  the  surviving 
Greeks  embarked,  and  we  set  out  for  home. 
But  when  we  reached  Tenedos,  thy  father  re- 
turned to  Troy  to  join  Agamemnon  and  the 
others,  who  had  stayed  behind,  to  appease  the 
wrath  of  Athena,  for  a  Greek  had  committed 
sacrilege  in  her  temple. 

Our  voyage  was  prosperous,  and  we  all 
reached  home  except  Menelaos,  who  wan- 
dered about  in  Crete  and  Egypt  for  a  long 
time.  It  is  said  that  the  noble  son  of  Achilles 
returned  home  safely,  and  that  Agamemnon 
was  slain  in  his  own  house,  and  his  son  took 
vengeance  on  his  murderers.  There  is  a  rumor, 
too,  that  many  suitors  hang  about  thy  mother, 
and,  in  spite  of  thy  remonstrances,  consume 
thy  riches.  Be  brave,  my  son,  and  yield  not. 
Odysseus  may  come  again.  Go  at  once  to 
Menelaos,  for  he  may  have  news  of  thy  father. 
I  will  give  thee  swift  horses  and  a  chariot,  and 
my  sons  will  drive." 

All  day  Telemachos  discoursed  with  Nes- 
tor, and  when  the  sun  went  down,  they  poured 


TeUmachos  in  Sparta  141 

wine  on  the  earth  and  burned  an  offering  to 
the  gods.  Telemachos  and  Mentor  arose  to 
retire  to  their  ship,  but  Nestor  begged  them 
to  be  his  guests  and  go  to  the  royal  palace. 
Mentor,  as  the  elder  of  the  two,  excused  him- 
self, in  order  to  join  the  crew,  and  suddenly 
disappeared.  Nestor  recognized  that  Telem- 
achos was  attended  by  the  goddess,  and 
offered  a  prayer  to  her.  The  assembly  dis- 
persed, and  Nestor,  with  his  guest  and  his 
sons,  retired  to  his  palace. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

TELEMACHOS  IN  SPARTA 

BEFORE  the  sun  was  fairly  up,  they  all  arose 
and  seated  themselves  on  the  smooth  stone 
benches  that  loomed  up  in  the  gloaming,  white 
and  shining,  before  the  gates  of  the  palace. 
Nestor  bade  one  of  his  sons  to  prepare  an  of- 
fering to  Athena,  of  the  best  heifer  in  the  fields. 
He  sent  another  son  to  call  a  skilled  workman 
to  plate  the  heifer's  horns  with  gold,  and  two 
others  yet  to  bring  the  crew  from  the  ship. 
He  told  the  remaining  two  sons  to  bid  the 


142  Odysseus 

maids  prepare  a  sumptuous  feast  in  honor  of 
their  guest. 

In  a  moment  there  was  a  busy  scene.  The 
heifer  was  brought  up  from  the  fields,  and  her 
horns  were  adorned  with  pure  gold  in  hopes 
that  Athena  would  see  it  and  be  pleased.  The 
sailors  came  from  the  ship)  except  two  who 
were  left  as  guards.  The  heifer  was  slain  and 
parts  were  burned  as  an  offering  to  the  god- 
dess, and  cakes  and  wine  also  were  thrown  into 
the  flames  to  complete  the  sacrifice.  They 
roasted  the  flesh  on  long  iron  forks  with  five 
prongs,  and  feasted  upon  it. 

Then  Nestor  said  to  his  sons:  "Bring  now 
the  chariot  and  horses  and  let  our  guest  depart 
in  search  of  news  concerning  his  renowned 
father."  The  horses  were  soon  harnessed  to 
the  car,  which  was  stored  with  wine  and  bread 
and  dainties  fit  for  a  prince.  Telemachos 
climbed  into  the  seat.  Peisistratos  took  his 
place  beside  him  and  grasped  the  reins.  The 
horses  dashed  off  in  high  spirit,  and  Pylos  was 
soon  left  in  the  distance.  All  day  the  horses 
sped  along.  At  night  they  rested  by  the  way 
and  early  the  next  morning  went  on  again  as 
swiftly  as  before.  As  the  sun  went  down  they 
found  themselves  in  Sparta,  the  land  of  plenty, 
and  at  the  gates  of  Menelaos,  the  king. 


Telemachos  in  Sparta  143 

Here  they  found  many  guests  assembled  at 
the  wedding  banquet  of  Hermione,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Menelaos.  That  day  she  had  been  given 
as  a  bride  to  Neoptolemos,  the  son  of  Achilles. 
A  minstrel  was  playing  a  harp  and  singing, 
while  two  dancers  performed  graceful  feats  to 
give  life  to  the  feast. 

One  of  the  attendants  of  Menelaos  saw  the 
strangers  drive  up,  and  stepped  out  to  see  who 
was  coming.  Then  he  hastened  back  to  Mene- 
laos and  told  him  that  two  strangers  of  princely 
bearing  were  at  the  palace  gate,  and  asked  if 
he  should  unharness  their  horses  or  send  them 
on  their  way.  Menelaos  was  vexed  that  any  of 
his  servants  should  be  so  lax  in  hospitality,  and 
told  him  he  had  acted  like  a  foolish  child,  and 
reminded  him  of  the  gifts  that  had  been  show- 
ered on  them  when  they  wandered  so  long  in 
foreign  lands.  And  he  bade  him  hasten  to  un- 
harness the  steeds,  and  give  them  oats  and 
barley,  and  bid  the  strangers  welcome  to  the 
feast. 

Teleraachos  and  Peisistratos  were  amazed  at 
the  beauty  of  the  palace.  They  bathed  in  the 
marble  baths,  rubbed  themselves  with  oil  and 
put  on  the  splendid  tunics  that  were  brought 
them.  After  that  they  entered  the  great  hall, 
where  each  was  seated  on  a  throne  near  the 


1 44  Odysseus 

king.  A  handmaid  brought  a  golden  pitcher 
and  a  silver  bowl  for  their  hands,  and  a  table 
was  placed  before  them  laden  with  choice  food. 
When  they  had  eaten  enough,  golden  beakers 
of  wine  were  handed  them,  and  then  the  mon- 
arch gave  his  hand  to  each  of  them,  saying: 
"  Ye  have  come  in  good  time,  my  friends.  As 
soon  as  ye  have  finished  your  feast,  I  will  ask 
your  names  and  whence  ye  come,  for  ye  look 
like  sons  of  kings." 

As  they  sat  there  Telemachos,  bending  his 
head  toward  Peisistratos,  said,  in  a  low  tone,  so 
that  he  thought  no  one  else  would  hear :  "  Sure- 
ly,  O  son  of  Nestor,  the  Olympian  home  of 
Zeus  himself  could  not  be  more  glorious  than 
this  palace.  See  the  gold  and  ivory,  and  shin- 
ing brass.  These  things  are  beyond  price  in 
richness."  Menelaos  caught  the  words,  al- 
though he  spoke  so  low,  and  said  :  "  My  sons, 
there  is  no  palace  that  can  compare  with  the 
home  of  the  gods.  The  riches  which  you  look 
at  in  astonishment  I  collected  while  wandering 
in  Egypt  and  in  Crete.  I  find  no  pleasure  in  them, 
however,  for  I  found  my  brother,  King  Aga- 
memnon slain  when  I  reached  home.  Would 
that  the  men  who  fought  before  Troy  had  their 
share  of  this  wealth  !  I  often  weep  and  mourn 
for  them  in  my  palace,  and  am  unable  to  eat  or 


Telemaehos  in  Sparta  145 

sleep  on  account  of  the  misery  I  have  brought 
upon  my  friends. 

For  none  of  them  do  I  mourn  so  much  as  I 
do  for  Odysseus,  who  suffered  the  most  of  all 
on  my  behalf.  I  would  gladly  give  all  my 
wealth,  if  I  only  knew  him  to  be  safe.  But  we 
do  not  know  whether  he  is  dead  or  living. 
How  much  his  old  father  must  have  grieved 
for  him.  How  many  tears  his  wife,  Penelope, 
must  have  shed,  and  his  high-minded  son, 
Telemaehos,  what  sorrow  he  has  suffered." 

New  despair  filled  the  heart  of  Telemaehos, 
and  tears  fell  from  his  eyes.  He  held  his  purple 
mantle  to  hide  his  grief  and  wept  in  silence. 
When  Menelaos  saw  this,  he  at  once  suspected 
that  the  young  man  was  no  other  than  the  sor- 
rowing son  of  Odysseus,  and  he  felt  perplexed 
for  want  of  suitable  words.  He  could  not  de- 
cide whether  to  question  him  about  his  father, 
or  to  wait  and  let  the  youth  speak  out  of  his 
own  will. 

Just  then  Helen  entered  the  hall  from  her 
high-roofed  chamber,  looking  like  a  goddess  in 
her  dazzling  beauty.  She  sat  down  at  her  hus- 
band's feet,  while  servants  ran  to  bring  the  mat 
which  she  was  weaving  and  the  distaff  filled 
with  fine-spun  purple  thread.  Her  fingers  flew 
over  the  dainty  work  while  she  questioned  the 


146  Odysseus 

king :  "  Didst  them  ask  the  strangers  their 
names?  It  is  not  possible  that  there  can  be  any 
man  so  like  to  Odysseus  except  his  son,  as  is 
this  youth  !  I  see  him  with  astonishment.  His 
father  left  him  at  home  a  little  babe,  when  the 
Greeks  went  forth  to  war  for  my  sake.  Is  it 
not  true  that  this  is  Telemachos?" 

Menelaos  replied  :  "  My  wife,  I  think  thou  hast 
spoken  truly.  The  young  man  has  the  hands, 
the  feet,  and  the  features  of  Odysseus,  and  he 
cannot  hide  his  grief  at  the  mention  of  that 
hero's  name."  Peisistratos  took  up  the  word 
and  said :  "  He  is,  indeed,  the  son  of  Odysseus, 
O  king !  My  father,  Nestor,  sent  me  with  him 
to  inquire  what  you  might  know  of  the  long-lost 
chieftain,  and  to  beg  you  to  give  him  advice, 
for  he  has  to  suffer  great  wrongs  in  his  house 
and  there  is  no  one  to  assist  him." 

Menelaos  was  heartily  glad  to  hear  that  his 
guest  was  really  Telemachos.  But  the  remem- 
brance of  his  old  friend  overcame  him  and  he 
wept  bitter  tears.  "  I  thought  when  I  was  in 
Troy,"  he  said, "  that  I  should  one  day  welcome 
Odysseus  to  my  home.  I  would  have  given  him 
land  and  cities  and  brought  to  Sparta  all  his 
people  and  his  wealth.  Then  we  would  always 
have  lived  close  together  and  nothing  could 
have  parted  us.  But  he  has  never  returned." 


Menelaos  Relates  His  Adventures     147 

The  tears  fell  from  his  eyes  and  Helen  wept 
as  well.  Peisistratos  then  said  to  Menelaos : 
"  Son  of  Atreus,  my  father  says  that  thou  art 
good  and  wise.  Let  us  not,  I  entreat,  continue 
this  sad  discourse,  since  this  is  a  day  that 
should  not  be  given  to  lamentations.  I  lost  a 
brother,  also,  at  Troy.  But  we  will  honor 
these  heroes  at  a  proper  time,  with  tears  and 
by  cutting  off  our  locks.  Let  us  not  spoil  the 
feast  with  mourning." 

They  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  making  the 
festival  as  cheerful  as  if  there  were  no  grief  to 
be  hidden,  and  when  night  came  the  Argive 
Helen  ordered  the  servants  to  prepare  beds  for 
them  in  the  portico  and  cover  them  with  tapes- 
tries, while  she  poured  for  them  a  soothing  wine 
and  dismissed  them  to  their  slumbers.  The 
heralds  led  them  to  their  couches,  where  they 
found  a  welcome  rest. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

MENELAOS  RELATES  HIS  ADVENTURES 

THE  next  morning  Menelaos  rose  from  his 
couch  very  early,  put  on  his  garments,  hung 
his  sword  over  his  shoulder,  laced  his  sandals, 


.148  Odysseus 

and  went  into  his  hall  looking  like  a  god.  He 
sat  down  near  Telemachos,  and  asked  him  to 
tell  him  frankly  why  he  had  come  to  Sparta. 

Telemachos  then  told  him  of  the  evil  deeds 
of  the  suitors,  and  besought  him  to  give  him 
every  possible  clew  to  his  father's  whereabouts. 
Menelaos  was  indignant  over  the  young  man's 
wrongs. 

"  Shame  on  the  cowards  who  wish  to  rule 
over  thy  father's  house,"  he  said.  "  Let  Odys- 
seus return  and  he  will  tear  them  to  pieces  as  a 
lion  tears  a  young  deer.  Grant,  O  father  Zeus, 
and  Athena,  and  Apollo,  that  Odysseus  may 
yet  give  those  ungodly  suitors  a  bitter  wedding 
feast.  But  I  will  tell  thee  of  my  travels  and 
what  was  told  me  by  the  Ancient  Spirit  of  the 
sea. 

It  happened  that  the  gods  detained  me  many 
days  in  Egypt  to  sacrifice  and  do  penance,  for 
I  had  forgotten  to  make  proper  offerings  to 
them.  The  island  of  Pharos  lies  just  off  the 
coast  of  Egypt.  There  I  remained  until  the 
daughter  of  the  Ancient  Sea  King,  seeing  my 
distress,  came  to  my  rescue. 

My  men  and  I  had  wandered  over  the  island 
in  search  of  food  until  we  were  nearly  starved, 
when  she  discovered  us,  and  told  us  that  our 
efforts  would  be  useless  unless  we  consulted 


Menelaos  Relates  His  Adventures     149 

with  her  father.  '  If  thou  canst  ensnare  him 
and  hold  him  in  thy  grasp,"  she  said,  *  he  will 
tell  thee  how  to  reach  thy  home.  He  is  a  seer, 
and  can  tell  thee  all  that  has  taken  place  there 
during  thy  absence.  At  noon-tide  he  comes 
out  from  the  ocean  caves  covered  with  brine, 
and  lies  down  among  the  sea-calves,  rank  with 
the  smell  of  salt.  He  counts  them  five  at  a 
time,  and  then  he  stretches  himself  out  among 
them  and  goes  to  sleep.  He  is  very  shrewd, 
and  when  thou  hast  caught  him  he  will  struggle 
and  take  all  sorts  of  forms  to  escape  thee.  He 
will  turn  into  a  reptile,  and  into  fire  and  then 
will  change  to  water.  But  hold  him  fast,  and 
when  he  looks  as  he  did  when  first  perceived 
by  thee,  ask  him  how  to  find  thy  home.' 

The  next  morning,  I  sought  the  aged  sea-god 
as  I  had  been  bidden.  I  took  three  old  com- 
rades whom  I  knew  to  be  trusty,  and  we  went 
down  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.  The  god- 
dess brought  us  four  fresh  hides  that  had  just 
been  taken  from  sea-calves  newly  slaughtered, 
and  we  dressed  ourselves  in  them  to  deceive 
her  father.  She  scooped  out  places  for  us  to 
lie  in  on  the  sands  and  we  waited  for  him  to 
come.  The  smell  was  sickening  and  beyond 
endurance,  so  the  goddess  put  ambrosia  under 
our  noses.  When  the  sun  was  highest  in  the 


1 50  Odysseus 

heavens,  the  sea-calves  came  in  groups  and 
ranged  themselves  around  in  rows  on  the  sand. 
The  old  seer  came  out  and  counted  all,  and 
did  not  notice  our  fraud.  Then  he  lay  down 
to  sleep.  At  once,  we  rushed  upon  him  and 
caught  him.  He  began  to  take  all  kinds  of 
shapes.  First,  he  was  a  lion ;  then  a  serpent,  a 
panther,  a  boar,  a  fountain  of  water,  and  a  tree. 
We  held  on  until  he  was  tired  of  trying  to 
escape. 

At  last  he  took  his  proper  form,  and  began 
to  question  me.  '  Son  of  Atreus,'  he  said, '  who 
hath  taught  thee  how  to  make  me  a  prisoner? 
What  is  it  thou  wouldst  know  ? '  '  Tell  me 
what  god  is  angry  with  me,  O  Proteus,'  I  re- 
plied. '  Why  am  I  detained  on  this  island  ? 
Why  can  I  not  reach  my  home  ? '  '  Thou  didst 
not  make  acceptable  sacrifices  to  Zeus,'  said 
Proteus.  '  And  thou  wilt  never  see  thy  home 
again  until  thou  hast  offered  up  a  hundred 
oxen  to  the  immortal  gods.' 

'  I  will  perform  that  rite  speedily,  oh  proph- 
et,' I  replied.  '  But  tell  me  about  my  com- 
rades in  the  Trojan  war.  Did  they  reach  home 
in  safety  ? ' 

Then  Proteus  told  me  all ;  how  Ajax  died 
amid  his  ships;  how  Agamemnon  was  slain  in 
his  own  hall ;  and  of  Laertes'  son  he  said  that  he 


Conspiracy  of  the  Suitors     151 

had  seen  him  sitting  in  a  grotto  on  Calypso's 
Isle.  There  upon  the  rocks  or  at  the  ocean- 
side  he  weeps  and  mourns  day  after  day,  and 
gazes  out  upon  the  deep.  His  comrades  are 
lost,  and  he  has  no  ship  with  which  to  return 
to  Ithaca.  And  after  he  had  spoken  he  plunged 
into  the  sea  while  I  returned  to  my  ships, 
offered  up  the  hundred  oxen  to  Zeus  and  sailed 
for  home.  And  now,  Telemachos,  I  pray  thee 
remain  awhile  with  me,  and  I  will  dismiss  thee 
with  a  chariot  and  swift  horses,  and  a  cup  of 
priceless  worth  with  which  to  pour  libations  to 
the  gods." 

Telemachos  took  new  courage  when  he  heard 
that  his  father  still  lived,  and  begged  that  he 
might  go  back  at  once  to  Pylos  to  join  his 
crew.  In  a  moment  all  were  busy  in  the 
palace  of  Menelaos  preparing  gifts  and  a  feast 
that  the  youths  might  depart  on  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI 

THE  CONSPIRACY   OF  THE  SUITORS 

ONE  day  while  Telemachos  was  in  Sparta, 
the  guest  of  Menelaos,  the  suitors  were  more 
riotous  than  usual.  They  diverted  themselves 


152  Odysseus 

in  the  palace  of  Odysseus  by  throwing  the  dis- 
cus and  javelin.  Only  Antinoos  and  the  hand- 
some Eurymachos  kept  apart  from  them. 
Then  Noemon,  who  had  given  Telemachos  his 
ship  a  few  days  before,  approached  them  and 
said :  "  Antinoos,  I  would  gladly  know  when 
Telemachos  will  return  from  Pylos.  I  lent 
him  my  ship,  and  I  need  it  for  I  intend  to  go 
to  Elis,  where  I  have  business." 

The  suitors  were  completely  taken  by  sur- 
prise, for  they  had  not  heard  that  Telemachos 
had  gone  to  Pylos.  They  thought  that  he  was 
out  at  the  farm  with  his  swineherd.  Anti- 
noos asked:  "When  did  Telemachos  sail,  and 
what  crew  did  he  take  ?  Did  he  use  force  in 
getting  thy  ship  or  didst  thou  lend  it  will- 
ingly ?  " 

"  He  was  welcome  to  the  ship,"  replied  No- 
emon. "  Who  would  not  have  done  such  a  ser- 
vice to  a  man  who  has  had  so  much  to  endure? 
The  young  men  who  went  with  him  belong  to 
the  best  families  of  Ithaca."  Noemon  could 
not  get  any  news  of  Telemachos,  so  he  went 
home ;  but  the  suitors  conspired  to  kill  Telem- 
achos. They  decided  that  Antinoos  should 
man  a  ship  with  a  crew  of  twenty  men,  and  lie  in 
ambush  in  the  waters  near  Ithaca,  in  order  that 
they  might  catch  Telemachos,  on  his  return. 


The  Conspiracy  of  the  Suitors      153 

This  wicked  plot  of  the  suitors  was  betrayed 
to  the  queen,  by  her  faithful  herald,  Medon. 
Penelope  was  overcome  with  grief,  and  wept 
bitterly,  and  her  loyal  attendants  mourned  with 
her.  "  What  new  grief  is  this  which  befalls  me 
now?"  she  said.  "  Is  it  not  enough  that  death 
has  robbed  me  of  my  husband  ?  Am  I  also  to 
lose  my  only  child,  without  even  having  seen 
him  before  his  departure?  Alas!  why  did  no 
one  tell  me  he  was  going,  that  I  might  have 
prevented  his  journey  ?  Haste  ye  to  Laertes 
and  tell  him  what  has  happened,  that  he  may 
make  some  plan  to  upset  this  plot  to  destroy 
his  heir,  the  son  of  Odysseus." 

Then  Eurycleia,  the  nurse,  tried  to  console 
her  with  these  soothing  words  :  "  My  daughter, 
I  will  not  hide  the  truth  from  thee  any  longer- 
I  gave  Telemachos  a  generous  supply  of  food 
and  wine,  all  that  he  could  use  on  his  journey. 
And  I  promised  him  solemnly  that  I  would  not 
tell  thee  of  his  departure,  since  he  had  a  great 
dread  that  thou  wouldst  weep  and  mourn,  and 
spoil  thy  lovely  face  and  injure  thy  health. 
Now  dry  thy  tears  and  bathe,  and  put  on  fresh 
robes.  Then  go  to  thine  altar  in  the  upper 
chamber  with  thy  maids.  There  pray  to 
Athena  and  burn  incense  to  her.  Do  noi  alarm 
good  old  Laertes  needlessly." 


1 54  Odysseus 

Penelope  followed  the  old  nurse's  advice. 
She  went  to  the  altar,  at  the  highest  part  of  the 
house,  and  there  she  prayed  to  Athena :  "  Hear 
me,  daughter  of  Zeus!  If  ever  my  beloved 
husband  has  sacrificed  to  thee  the  fat  limbs 
of  oxen  or  sheep,  and  has  built  thee  altars, 
save  my  son,  Telemachos,  and  destroy  the 
suitors,  who  fain  would  destroy  him."  The 
goddess  heard  her  prayer,  and  sent  sweet 
slumber  and  a  pleasant  dream  to  assuage 
her  grief.  In  her  sleep  she  saw  her  sister,  who 
said  to  her:  "Be  of  good  cheer,  Penelope; 
no  harm  will  come  to  thy  son,  for  a  god 
goes  with  him."  To  her,  the  wise  Penelope, 
yet  dreaming,  answered :  "  My  sister,  why  is 
it  thou  hast  never  come  to  me  before  ?  Thy 
home  is  far  away.  I  weep  because  I  have  lost 
my  noble  husband,  and  now  his  enemies  con- 
spire to  slay  my  only  son."  The  dream  replied  : 
"Take  heart.  Do  not  fear.  Athena  sent  me 
to  tell  thee  that  she  will  protect  thy  son." 

"  Oh,  tell  me,"  cried  the  queen,  in  her  dreams, 
"  tell  me  if  my  husband  lives,  since  thou  art 
sent  by  a  goddess."  But  the  shadow  vanished 
through  the  closed  door,  and  mingled  with  the 
air.  Penelope  awoke  with  a  glad  heart,  cheered 
by  the  prophetic  dream. 

In  the  meantime  the  suitors    spoke    among 


TeUmachos  Returns  to  Ithaca      155 

themselves,  for  they  were  too  foolish  to  under- 
stand the  spirit  of  the  queen.  «•  Surely,"  they 
said,  "  Penelope  is  making  ready  for  her  wed- 
ding. She  does  not  suspect  that  we  have 
planned  to  kill  her  son."  "Do  not  deceive 
yourselves,  my  friends,"  said  Antinoos.  "  Be 
silent  and  act."  Then  he  chose  twenty  men, 
and  they  went  down  to  a  well-fitted  ship,  and 
took  their  places  at  the  oars.  They  waited 
until  it  was  dark,  when  they  quietly  rowed 
out  into  a  narrow  strait,  through  which,  they 
thought,  Telemachos  was  sure  to  sail  on  his 
return,  and  there  they  waited. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII 

TELEMACHOS  RETURNS  TO  ITHACA 

HAVING  encouraged  Penelope,  the  goddess 
Athena  sped  to  Sparta,  where  she  found  Te- 
lemachos, with  Nestor's  son,  asleep  upon  the 
porch.  She  stood  beside  his  bed,  and  warned 
him  that  he  ought  to  return  home,  since  Penel- 
ope's father  had  given  her  counsel  to  wed  the 
richest  of  the  suitors,  and  had  promised  a 
generous  dower.  "  Do  not  delay,"  the  god- 
dess said  to  him ;  "  no  one  can  tell  what  a 


156  Odysseus 

woman  will  do  to  help  the  man  she  is  to 
marry. 

And  also  beware  of  the  suitors,  whom  thou 
hast  offended.  They  lie  in  wait  in  the  narrow 
passage  between  Samos  and  Ithaca.  They  hope 
to  catch  thee  on  thy  way  home  and  slay  thee. 
Do  not  go  that  way.  Sail  only  when  it  is  dark. 
A  god  will  watch  over  thee.  When  thou  dost 
come  to  the  first  harbor  in  Ithaca,  disembark, 
and  let  thy  crew  go  on  in  the  ship  and  take  it 
back  to  the  town.  But  thou  shalt  make  thy 
way  to  the  hut  of  thy  loyal  swineherd,  and  he 
will  take  tidings  of  thy  safe  return  to  thy 
mother." 

Athena  said  this  and  vanished.  Telemachos 
turned  to  Peisistratos  and  said  :  "  Let  us  arise 
and  set  forth  on  our  journey  with  all  haste,  oh 
son  of  Nestor."  But  Peisistratos  begged  him 
to  wait  until  it  was  fairly  light.  Menelaos  had 
slept  lightly,  he  was  so  agitated  with  the  great 
event  of  seeing  his  beloved  comrade's  son,  and 
he  rose  as  soon  as  it  was  light.  Telemachos 
heard  him  approaching,  and  hastily  threw  on 
his  tunic  and  cloak  and  went  to  meet  him. 

Telemachos  urged  a  hasty  departure  and 
Menelaos  did  not  think  it  proper  to  try  to  de- 
tain him.  He  said :  "  A  host  is  hateful  who  is 
too  affectionate.  It  is  as  wrong  to  keep  a  guest 


Telemachos  Returns  to  Ithaca      157 

who  is  in  a  hurry  to  go  as  it  is  to  thrust  a 
stranger  out  when  he  wants  to  stay.  Let  me 
bring  thee  costly  gifts,  and  when  thou  hast 
had  thy  morning  meal  I  will  hasten  thee  on 
thy  way."  The  car  was  heaped  with  gifts,  a 
golden  goblet,  a  silver  beaker,  a  robe  that  glis- 
tened with  handwrought  embroidery,  the  work 
of  Helen,  a  goblet  of  silver  with  golden  lips. 
Peisistratos  gazed  with  wonder  at  their  beauty 
as  he  placed  them  in  the  car. 

They  washed  their  hands  in  a  silver  bowl  and 
ate  and  drank  from  the  bounty  which  had  been 
placed  before  them.  Then  they  mounted  the 
car  which  had  been  brought  to  the  palace  gates. 
Nestor's  son  took  the  reins,  Menelaos  poured 
wine  on  the  ground,  an  offering  to  the  gods  for 
their  safety  and  prosperity,  and  off  they  sped 
over  the  plain.  Two  birds  flew  on  before  them, 
an  eagle  that  had  clutched  a  goose  and  bore  it 
off  in  its  talons,  a  sign  that  Odysseus  would 
come  and  put  an  end  to  the  suitors,  and  this 
omen  cheered  Telemachos. 

All  day  the  horses  bounded  on  shaking  their 
splendid  harness.  The  son  of  Nestor  plied  the 
lash.  At  night  they  rested  in  a  friendly  lodge 
and  the  second  day  they  reached  Pylos.  They 
drove  directly  to  the  ship,  lest  Nestor,  in  his 
great  love  for  his  guest,  should  detain  him. 


158  Odysseus 

With  an  offering  and  a  prayer  to  Athena  he  set 
sail.  A  prospering  breeze  swept  over  the  sea 
and  bore  them  rapidly  along.  At  night  Telem- 
achos  landed  at  the  nearest  port  and  sent  the 
crew  on  to  take  the  ship  to  the  town. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII 

TELEMACHOS  AND  THE  SWINEHERD 

WHEN  daylight  appeared  Odysseus  and  Eu- 
maios  rose  from  their  beds  and  sent  the  serving 
men  out  into  the  fields  with  their  swine,  but 
they  themselves  remained  at  home  and  prepared 
breakfast.  In  a  little  while  they  heard  foot- 
steps outside.  The  dogs  pricked  up  their  ears 
and  wagged  their  tails  without  barking. 

Odysseus,  perceiving  this,  said  to  the  swine- 
herd :  "  There  must  be  some  friend  of  thine 
coming,  since  the  dogs  do  not  bark."  The 
words  had  hardly  passed  his  lips  when  Telem- 
achos  entered  the  hut.  Eumaios  started  to 
his  feet  and  hastened  to  welcome  his  young 
master.  He  took  him  in  his  arms  as  a  father 
would  a  son  who  had  been  away  a  long  time, 
and  kissed  his  face  and  hands. 

Tears  dropped  from  his  eyes  and  he  said: 


TeUmachos  and  the  Swineherd    159 

"  My  dear  Telemachos,  I  did  not  dare  to  hope 
ever  to  behold  thee  again.  Come  in  that  I  may 
rejoice  with  all  my  heart  at  seeing  thee  once 
more  enter  my  cabin  after  thy  return  from  a 
strange  country.  Seldom  dost  thou  come  to 
see  thy  servants,  for  thou  dost  live  in  town, 
where  thou  must  watch  the  suitor  train  con- 
sume thy  wealth  day  by  day." 

To  this  Telemachos  made  answer:  "This  is 
quite  true,  my  father;  but  I  come  here  to  learn 
of  thee  how  matters  are  at  the  palace.  Is  my 
mother  there,  or  has  some  wooer  won  her  for  a 
bride?" 

"Thy  mother  is  still  at  home,"  replied  the 
sturdy  swineherd.  "  She  has  a  loyal  heart,  but 
she  wastes  her  life  in  weeping."  Saying  this 
he  took  the  lance  from  the  young  prince,  who 
had  come  farther  into  the  cabin.  Odysseus 
arose  to  give  him  his  seat,  but  Telemachos  said 
to  him :  "  Keep  thy  seat,  stranger,  I  will  sit  else- 
where." 

Odysseus  sat  down  again.  The  swineherd 
took  an  armful  of  twigs  and  covered  it  with 
fleeces,  and  Telemachos  seated  himself  upon  it- 
Next  he  brought  bread  and  meat  and  set  them 
before  his  young  master,  who,  when  he  had 
eaten,  asked  his  faithful  servant  who  the  stran- 
ger was  and  whence  he  came. 


160  Odysseus 

"  The  stranger  says  that  he  came  from  Crete," 
answered  Eumaios.  "  Lately  he  has  run  away 
from  a  ship  where  he  was  robbed,  and  has  come 
here.  I  leave  him  to  thee,  however;  do  with 
him  as  thou  dost  like."  "  Thy  words  do  not 
please  me,  Eumaios,"  said  Telemachos.  "How 
can  I  receive  a  stranger  in  my  house,  since  1 
cannot  protect  him  there  if  any  of  the  godless 
wooers  insult  him.  It  would  be  better  for  him 
to  stay  here ;  and  lest  he  be  a  burden  to  you 
I  will  send  out  food  and  clothes  for  him,  and  I 
will  help  him  to  go  wherever  he  wishes." 

To  him  the  sagacious  Odysseus  replied: 
"  My  friend,  I  hear  with  grief  the  story  of  thy 
wrongs.  Art  thou  willing  to  let  this  go  on? 
If  I  were  as  young  as  thou  art  I  would  lose 
my  life  before  I  would  suffer  such  things — thy 
guests  insulted,  thy  servants  beaten,  thy  riches 
thrown  away,  thy  food  consumed  by  gluttons." 

"  Thy  words  are  sharp,  dear  stranger,  and  I 
shall  answer  them  with  the  truth,"  said  Telem- 
achos. "  Thou  dost  not  yet  understand  that 
there  is  a  great  crowd  of  suitors ;  not  simply 
five  or  ten.  What  can  I  do  single-handed 
against  such  a  multitude  ?  But  you,  Eumaios, 
hasten  to  the  city,  secretly,  and  tell  my  mother 
that  I  have  returned  and  am  staying  here. 
Then  come  back  at  once  and  let  no  one  know 


Telemachos  Recognizes  Odysseus     161 

where  I  am,  for  the  lovers  are  plotting  a  bloody 
death  for  me."  The  swineherd  hastily  bound 
his  sandals  on  to  his  feet,  took  his  staff,  and 
hurried  off. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX 

TELEMACHOS  RECOGNIZES  ODYSSEUS 

IT  was  not  long  after  Eumaios  had  left  the 
cabin  when  Athena,  in  the  guise  of  a  beautiful 
woman,  appeared  to  Odysseus  and  beckoned 
him  to  come  outside.  Telemachos  was  op- 
posite to  her,  but  he  did  not  see  her,  for  the 
gods  are  not  visible  to  all.  Only  Odysseus  and 
the  dogs  were  conscious  of  her  presence.  The 
dogs  did  not  bark  but  ran  into  a  corner  of  the 
cabin,  crouching  and  whining.  Odysseus  left 
the  room  and  stood  before  the  goddess,  who 
spoke  to  him  in  these  words :  "Son  of  Laertes, 
of  noble  birth  and  great  wisdom,  make  thyself 
known  to  thy  son.  Tell  him  all  the  truth. 
Advise  with  him  how  to  put  an  end  to  that  in- 
solent crowd  of  suitors.  I  shall  never  be  far 
from  thee  myself  and  will  help  thee.  I  long  to 
see  them  attacked." 

When  she  had  finished  speaking  she  touched 


1 62  Odysseus 

Odysseus  with  her  golden  wand.  That  touch 
changed  him  instantly  into  a  handsome,  well- 
made  man  in  the  full  vigor  of  robust  manhood. 
His  rags  became  seemly  garments.  His  cheeks 
flushed  with  renewed  health  and  the  heavy 
beard  on  his  chin  grew  dark  again.  After  the 
goddess  had  done  this  she  vanished  and  Odys- 
seus went  back  into  the  lodge.  His  son  glanced 
at  him  in  amazement  and  then  turned  his  eyes 
away  from  him  lest  he  should  irreverently  look 
upon  a  god. 

"  Stranger,"  he  said,  "  I  think  thou  art  an 
immortal  whose  home  is  in  the  heavens,  for 
thou  hast  been  transformed  in  looks  and  garb. 
Let  me  bring  a  sacrifice  and  offer  it  to  thee,  to- 
gether with  beautiful  gifts,  and  perhaps  thou 
wilt  be  gracious  to  us  and  keep  us  from  harm." 

Odysseus  replied :  "  Nay,  I  am  not  a  god, 
nor  like  the  gods.  I  am  thy  father,  he  for 
whom  thou  hast  mourned  and  endured  so  many 
sufferings."  Saying  this  he  kissed  his  son  and 
wept. 

"  I  pray  thee  do  not  deceive  me,"  said 
Telemachos.  "  Thou  surely  art  a  deity  and  not 
my  father.  No  mortal  could  change  from  a 
ragged  old  beggar  to  a  young  and  stately  man 
in  a  moment." 

Odysseus  answered  him :  "  Telemachos,  it  is 


Telemachos  Recognizes  Odysseus     163 

not  like  a  son  to  gaze  upon  thy  lather  with 
astonishment.  No  other  Odysseus  will  ever 
come  into  this  cabin.  I  am  thy  father.  I  have 
wandered  twenty  years  in  foreign  lands,  and 
now  have  come  to  my  own  home.  Thou  hast 
seen  a  miracle  which  Athena  wrought,  for  she 
makes  me  look  like  a  beggar  or  a  king  as  she 
pleases.  The  gods  have  all  power  to  put  men 
in  high  places  or  to  humble  them." 

Odysseus  sat  down  and  his  dear  son  ap- 
proached him  and  threw  his  arms  around  him  in 
a  loving  embrace,  and  together  they  wept  tears 
of  joy.  At  last  Telemachos  inquired:  "Dear 
father,  in  what  ship  hast  them  come,  and  what 
sailors  brought  thee  hither?  Thou  couldst  not 
have  come  on  foot." 

"  The  Phaeacians  brought  me  across  the  sea 
and  left  me  sleeping  on  the  shore  in  Ithaca," 
replied  Odysseus.  "And  they  gave  me  rich 
presents  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and 
embroidered  garments  hand-woven  from  their 
own  looms. 

These  have  I  hidden,  and  Athena  has  sent 
me  to  advise  with  thee  how  best  to  destroy 
the  arrogant  crew  of  suitors  that  so  long  has 
robbed  my  house  and  vexed  my  wife.  Tell  me 
now  how  many  there  are  and  what  kind  of 
men,  so  that  I  can  judge  whether  we  two  alone 


164  Odysseus 

may  attack  them,  or  whether  we  need  the  help 
of  others." 

"  My  father,"  answered  Telemachos,  "  thy 
sweet  fame  has  resounded  through  our  halls, 
my  whole  life  long.  How  often  have  I  heard 
of  thy  courage  and  the  strength  of  thy  power- 
ful arm.  But  how  is  it  possible  for  us  two  to 
fight  against  such  a  multitude  ?  Fifty -two  of 
the  wooers  come  from  one  town  with  six  ser- 
vants. Twenty-four  come  from  Samos,  and 
twenty  more  from  Zakynthos,  and  twelve  from 
Ithaca.  If  we  attack  them  all  I  fear  that  we 
shall  come  to  grief.  It  is  better  for  us  to  look 
around  and  find  an  ally." 

Again  Odysseus  made  reply  :  "  Dear  son,  take 
courage.  Zeus  and  Athena,  most  powerful  of 
the  gods,  are  on  our  side.  Early  to-morrow 
thou  must  go  to  the  city  and  mingle  with  the 
suitors.  The  swineherd  shall  lead  me  disguised 
as  an  old  beggar  to  my  palace.  Keep  down 
thy  wrath  if  the  wooers  speak  insultingly  to  me. 
Do  not  resent  it  except  to  administer  a  gentle 
reproof,  though  they  strike  me  with  their 
spears  and  abuse  me  with  bad  language.  The 
day  of  their  death  is  at  hand.  When  Athena 
gives  me  the  sign,  I  will  nod  to  thee  and  thou 
shalt  remove  my  weapons  from  the  great  hall 
to  an  upper  room.  Tell  the  suspicious  suitors 


Telemachos  Returns  to  the  Palace     165 

that  the  arms  gather  too  much  dust  where  they 
now  hang  on  the  walls,  and  besides  that,  a  god 
has  warned  thee  that  hi  their  drunken  brawls, 
the  wooers  may  harm  each  other.  Let  no  one 
know  of  my  arrival,  not  even  Laertes,  Eumaios, 
or  my  wife,  Penelope." 

All  day  the  illustrious  father  and  his  son 
conversed  and  laid  their  plans.  At  noon  they 
killed  a  yearling  pig,  and  roasted  it  and  made 
a  hearty  lunch.  Once  more  Athena  touched 
Odysseus  with  her  wand  and  changed  him  into 
a  poor  old  beggar,  that  Eumaios  should  not 
recognize  him.  At  evening  the  swineherd 
returned.  On  entering  his  cabin  he  told  his 
young  master  that  the  suitors  had  learned  of 
his  safe  return  to  Ithaca.  Then  he  prepared  a 
supper  for  them,  and  they  ate  and  drank  to 
their  heart's  content,  when  they  retired  to  rest. 


CHAPTER   XL 

TELEMACHOS  RETURNS  TO  THE  PALACE 

EARLY  the  next  morning  Telemachos  rose, 
tied  his  shining  sandals  under  his  feet,  took  his 
spear  and  stood  ready  to  go  to  the  city.  He 


1 66  Odysseus 

called  the  swineherd  to  him,  and  said :  "  Eu- 
maios,  I  am  going-  back  to  the  town  to  see  my 
mother.  I  know  that  she  will  not  cease  to  be 
anxious  about  me  until  she  sees  me  in  my  own 
home.  Take  this  stranger  there,  too,  where  he 
may  beg,  and  thus  supply  his  wants.  I  can- 
not receive  every  poor  man  into  my  own 
house;  my  trials  are  too  great.  It  makes  no 
difference  to  me  whether  he  likes  it  or  not.  I 
am  forced  to  tell  the  truth  about  it." 

"  My  friend,"  said  Odysseus,  "  I  do  not  care 
to  stay  any  longer.  I  think  myself  it  is  better 
for  me  to  go  to  the  city,  where  a  beggar  may 
have  a  fair  chance.  I  am  too  old  to  be  of  ser- 
vice here.  Go  thy  way,  my  son,  and  let  thy 
servant  lead  me  hence,  as  thou  hast  commanded. 
But  let  me  first  warm  me  at  the  fire,  for  I  am 
cold  and  the  way  is  long." 

Then  Telemachos  went  out  of  the  lodge  and 
sped  toward  the  city.  His  old  nurse,  Eurycleia, 
was  the  first  to  see  him,  and  she  ran  out  to  wel- 
come him,  and  the  other  servants  came  around 
rejoicing.  Next  came  Penelope,  as  beautiful 
as  Artemis,  and  threw  her  arms  about  her  son, 
and  kissed  him  on  his  brow  and  eyes.  "  Hast 
thou  indeed  returned,  Telemachos,  my  son  ?  I 
never  hoped  to  see  thee  again.  Tell  me  about 
thy  father.  Hast  thou  any  news  of  him  ?  What 


Telemachos  Returns  to  the  Palace     167 

has  happened?  What  hast  thou  seen?"  So 
did  the  queen  greet  her  son. 

"  Dear  mother,  do  not  waken  my  grief  again," 
Telemachos  replied.  "  I  have  barely  escaped 
a  cruel  death.  But  go  to  thy  bath  and  put 
fresh  garments  on,  and  then  pray  to  the  gods 
and  promise  them  great  sacrifices  if  Zeus  will 
avenge  our  wrongs."  Penelope  willingly  did 
her  son's  bidding,  but  Telemachos  betook  him- 
self to  the  market  place  to  show  himself  to  the 
people. 

When  Telemachos  came  into  the  public 
square  the  suitors  thronged  around  him  with 
smooth  speeches,  but  in  their  hearts  they  kept 
on  plotting  his  death.  He  wanted  them  to  see 
that  he  was  in  Ithaca,  but  he  did  not  care  to  be 
in  their  company,  so  he  took  his  place  among 
some  friends  of  his  father.  One  of  the  crew 
came  up  to  ask  where  he  might  deposit  the 
splendid  gifts  of  Menelaos,  and  Telemachos 
told  him  to  hide  them  until  the  suitors  had 
been  defeated  or  had  won  the  victory. 

Then  Telemachos  came  back  to  the  palace 
in  company  with  a  stranger  who  had  joined 
his  crew  at  Pylos,  and  they  sat  down  near 
the  queen,  who  was  spinning.  The  servants 
brought  them  wine  and  food,  and  after  they 
had  eaten,  Penelope  begged  that  her  son  would 


1 68  Odysseus 

recite  to  her  the  story  of  his  journey.  In  the 
meantime  Odysseus  and  Eumaios  had  started 
for  the  city.  When  they  reached  the  spring 
where  the  citizens  of  the  city  went  for  water, 
they  encountered  Melanthios,  a  goatherd,  driv- 
ing goats  into  town.  Two  servants  followed, 
helping  him.  As  soon  as  he  saw  Eumaios  and 
his  guest,  he  said:  "Look!  There  is  one 
knave  leading  another.  Verily,  the  gods  bring 
like  and  like  together.  Thou  miserable  swine- 
herd, whither  dost  thou  take  that  worthless 
beggar,  this  vagabond  who  rubs  his  shoulders 
on  every  door-post,  asking  for  crusts,  eating 
gluttonously,  and  telling  tales  of  woe? 

Just  hand  him  over  to  me  to  guard  my  sta- 
bles and  clean  my  yard,  and  I  will  give  him 
whey  to  drink,  which  will  fatten  his  limbs. 
But  work  does  not  suit  such  a  fellow.  He 
would  rather  ramble  idly  about  and  beg  for 
food  to  fill  his  empty  stomach.  Let  him  once 
come  to  the  palace  of  Odysseus  and  the  guests 
that  woo  the  queen  will  fling  footstools  at 
him."  With  that  Melanthios  kicked  him  in  the 
thigh.  Odysseus  hesitated  a  moment  and  con- 
sidered whether  it  were  better  to  slay  the  goat- 
herd with  a  blow  from  his  staff,  or  whether  he 
should  submit  to  the  indignity  in  silence.  The 
latter  seemed  the  better  course. 


Odysseus  is  Recognized  by  His  Dog      169 

But  Eumaios  grew  angry  and  said :  "  Melan- 
thios,  wait  till  Odysseus  returns.  He  will  give 
thee  thy  deserts,  thou  villain  !  All  day  long 
dost  thou  loaf  in  the  city,  leaving  thy  master's 
flocks  to  take  care  of  themselves."  Meianthios 
answered  him  :  "  Just  hear  what  this  cur  has  to 
say  !  I  shall  take  him  off  and  sell  him  for  a 
slave  some  day.  Would  that  Telemachos  might 
die  this  moment  under  the  hands  of  the  suitors, 
and  go  down  to  Hades  to  join  his  father!." 
With  these  words  he  hurried  off  to  the  house  of 
his  master  where  he  sat  down  among  the  crowd 
of  wooers. 


CHAPTER    XLI 

ODYSSEUS   IS   RECOGNIZED   BY  HIS  DOG 

AFTER  awhile  Odysseus  and  Eumaios  came 
to  the  house.  As  they  drew  near  they  waited 
a  little  to  listen  to  the  music,  for  a  minstrel  had 
begun  a  song,  and  while  singing  he  played 
the  lyre.  "  Surely,  Eumaios,"  said  Odysseus, 
"  anyone  would  know  that  this  is  the  palace  of 
a  king.  See  how  stately  the  structure  is,  and 
how  spacious  the  court  beyond  the  massive 
gates!  And  there  are  walls  and  towers  and 


1 70  Odysseus 

countless  rooms.  No  one  but  Odysseus  could 
have  built  such  a  fortress.  I  hear  the  sound  of 
the  lute  and  perceive  the  tempting  odor  of 
roasting  meat,  and  there  are  crowds  of  guests 
coming  and  going.  There  must  be  a  banquet 
within." 

Eumaios  replied  :  "  True,  my  friend,  this  is 
the  house  of  Odysseus.  Now,  let  us  consider 
what  we  are  to  do.  Shall  I  take  the  lead  and 
go  in  first,  or  wilt  thou  go  first  and  let  me 
follow?"  Odysseus,  the  sagacious,  made  an- 
swer :  "  Go  in  before  me,  and  I  will  follow  by 
and  by." 

They  were  standing  near  the  stable  doors 
while  talking.  The  filth  from  the  stalls  of  the 
mules  and  oxen  had  been  piled  there  by  slov- 
enly servants,  who  should  have  removed  it  day 
by  day  to  fertilize  the  fields.  There,  on  the 
unwholesome  heap,  a  poor,  neglected  dog  was 
lying,  devoured  by  noxious  insects  and  ver- 
min. It  was  Argus,  whom  Odysseus  himself 
had  raised  before  he  went  to  Troy.  In  times 
gone  by,  the  young  men  of  Ithaca  had  made 
him  most  useful  in  the  chase.  He  had  scented 
the  stag,  the  hare,  and  the  wild  goat  for  them 
many  a  time.  But  now  that  he  was  old  no  one 
cared  for  him,  and  he  was  left  to  die. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  Odysseus  drawing  near 


Odysseus  is  Recognized  by  His  Dog      171 

he  pricked  up  his  ears  and  wagged  his  tail. 
But  he  had  not  strength  enough  to  get  up  and 
come  to  his  master,  although  he  moved  as  if  he 
would  gladly  have  done  so.  Odysseus  saw 
this  and  burst  into  tears,  but  he  turned  his 
face  away  in  hopes  that  Eumaios  would  not 
notice  it. 

But  the  good  swineherd  saw  it  and  so  Odys- 
seus questioned  him :  "  Eumaios,  what  dog  is 
this  that  lies  upon  this  filth?  He  is  well  built, 
and  surely  is  of  a  fine  stock.  Is  he  fleet  in  the 
chase  or  a  mere  house-dog  kept  for  show?" 

"  This  dog,  stranger,"  answered  Eumaios, 
"  belongs  to  my  dear  master.  If  thou  hadst 
only  seen  him  before  Odysseus  went  to  Troy 
thou  wouldst  have  been  astonished  at  his  swift- 
ness. He  performed  wonders  in  the  chase. 
No  wild  animal  was  able  to  escape  him.  But 
his  master  has  died  far  from  home,  and  the 
careless  servants  will  not  even  throw  him  a 
bone." 

The  swineherd  passed  on  into  the  hall  where 
the  suitors  sat,  but  Odysseus  stood  looking  at 
the  faithful  beast,  the  only  creature  that  had 
recognized  him.  The  joy  of  seeing  his  old 
master  was  too  great,  and  Argus  sank  down 
and  died. 


CHAPTER    XLII 

ODYSSEUS  COMES,  A  BEGGAR,  TO  HIS  OWN  HOUSE 

TELEMACHOS  was  the  first  to  notice  the  swine- 
herd entering  the  hall,  and  he  made  a  sign  for 
him  to  come  and  sit  by  him.  Presently  Odys- 
seus, too,  entered  in  the  guise  of  a  forlorn  old 
beggar,  and  sat  down  near  the  door.  Telem- 
achos  handed  Eumaios  a  whole  loaf  of  bread 
and  as  much  meat  as  he  could  hold  in  his  two 
hands,  and  bade  him  take  it  to  the  beggar. 
And  he  told  him  to  tell  the  poor  old  man  to 
ask  a  pittance  from  every  suitor  present. 

Odysseus  took  the  food,  and  after  thanking 
Telemachos,  prayed  to  the  gods  to  give  him 
everything  good.  Then  he  placed  his  food  in 
a  wallet  on  the  ground,  and  began  to  eat,  while 
a  minstrel  entertained  the  assembly  with  sweet 
music.  When  the  bard  ceased  his  singing, 
the  suitors  began  a  noisy  conversation,  and 
having  a  signal  from  Athena,  Odysseus  arose 
and  went  from  one  wooer  to  another  asking 
alms.  Each  one  gave  him  something,  and  asked 
him  who  he  was  and  whence  he  came. 

Melanthios,  the  goatherd,  and  the  favorite  of 
172 


Odysseus  Among  the  Suitors       173 

Eurymachos,  wishing  to  make  mischief,  told 
them  that  Eumaios  had  brought  the  old  man 
along  but  did  not,  himself,  know  who  he  was. 
Antinoos  hearing  this,  said :  "  Eumaios,  foolish 
swineherd,  why  didst  thou  bring  that  vile  beg- 
gar here?  Are  there  not  beggars  enough  to 
eat  up  the  wealth  of  thy  master  without  him?" 

Eumaios  answered  him  most  courteously: 
"Antinoos,  though  thou  art  high  born  thou  art 
not  well  bred.  Thou  hast  always  spoken  con- 
temptuously to  all  the  servants  of  Odysseus, 
but  chiefly  to  me.  Beggars  come  as  they  like. 
No  one  expects  to  invite  them.  Only  people 
of  rank  are  invited  to  a  feast  But  I  heed  not 
thy  abuse  so  long  as  I  can  serve  the  wise  Pe- 
nelope and  her  powerful  son." 

Then  Telemachos,  seeing  that  a  quarrel  was 
brewing,  interposed :  "  Hold  thy  peace,  Eumai- 
os, make  no  words  with  Antinoos.  He  takes 
delight  in  ugly  words.  Nothing  pleases  him 
more  than  to  stir  up  ill-feeling.  Surely  Anti- 
noos, thou  art  a  father  to  me  when  thou  dost  bid 
me  turn  a  stranger  into  the  street  and  insult 
him.  Pray  let  the  old  beggar  approach  thee 
and  receive  a  pittance,  for  thou  shouldst  not 
feast  on  the  food  belonging  to  others  and  never 
bestow  any  gifts.  All  the  suitors  except  thyself 
have  given  him  a  dole." 


T  74  Odysseus 

Antinoos  made  response:  " Telemachos,  thou 
boaster,  if  each  suitor  would  bestow  upon  him 
such  a  gift  as  I  will  make,  he  would  not  come 
here  again  very  soon."  With  that  he  seized  a 
footstool  and  held  it  up  where  all  could  see 
it.  The  beggar  approached  him  with  a  piti- 
ful story  of  wanderings  and  hardships.  Anti- 
noos spurned  him  saying :  "  What  demon  hath 
brought  this  chattering  beggar  to  spoil  our 
pleasure  ?  Get  thee  gone,  or  thou  wilt  soon  be 
much  the  worse  for  coming.  Thou  art  a  bold 
and  impudent  old  beggar." 

Odysseus  withdrew,  saying  as  he  went : 
"  How  strange  it  is  that  so  fine  a  form  can  con- 
ceal so  foul  a  mind.  Thou  wouldst  not  give 
even  salt  to  a  suppliant,  nor  a  crust  of  bread 
from  thine  own  table,  without  begrudging  it. 
But  thou  dost  feed  gluttonously  at  the  table  of 
an  absent  chief."  Antinoos  grew  more  angry, 
and  rejoined :  "  Thou  insolent  beggar,  thou 
shalt  not  leave  this  hall  unpunished."  With 
that  he  raised  the  footstool  and  struck  Odys- 
seus on  the  shoulder.  The  chief  stood  like  a 
rock,  not  in  the  least  disturbed.  But  he  made 
menacing  motions  with  his  head  and  retired  to 
the  door,  where  he  put  down  his  wallet  and 
lifted  up  his  voice  to  call  down  vengeance  from 
the  gods. 


Odysseus  Among  Ike  Suitors       175 

Antinoos  spoke  again  with  insulting  words, 
and  one  of  the  guests  rebuked  him.  He  was  so 
angry,  however,  that  he  did  not  heed  it  Te- 
lemachos  saw  the  blow,  and  could  hardly  re- 
strain his  anger.  Word  was  carried  to  Penel- 
ope that  a  penniless  stranger  had  been  insult- 
ed and  struck  in  her  halls,  and  she  said  to  her 
maids :  "  I  would  that  Apollo  with  his  bow 
might  strike  Antinoos  down." 

Then  she  called  the  swineherd  to  her  apart- 
ment and  said:  "Bring  the  beggar  hither.  I 
should  like  to  speak  with  him.  It  may  be  that 
he  has  seen  Odysseus,  for  he  seems  to  have 
wandered  far." 

The  swineherd  took  the  queen's  message  to 
the  stranger,  but  he  begged  that  he  might  not 
comply  with  the  request  until  the  suitors  had 
left  the  house.  "  I  knew  Odysseus  well,"  he 
said,  "  but  I  dread  these  violent  men.  There- 
fore, ask  Penelope  to  let  me  wait  until  sunset 
when  I  can  sit  by  the  fire  and  warm  myself, 
and  tell  her  all  that  she  shall  inquire." 

The  queen  thought  the  beggar's  answer  was 
a  prudent  one,  and  was  satisfied.  At  sundown 
the  swineherd  left  the  palace  to  return  to  his 
hut.  The  suitors  kept  up  the  revel  until  late 
in  the  evening,  and  then  went  home  leaving 
Odysseus  in  his  own  palace. 


CHAPTER  XLIII 

CONVERSATION   OF   ODYSSEUS   AND    PENELOPE 

AFTER  the  revellers  had  left  the  palace,  Odys- 
seus said  to  his  son  :  "  Now  is  the  time  to  hide 
all  these  weapons  where  the  suitors  cannot  find 
them,  when  their  hour  of  need  shall  come.  If 
they  ask  for  them  tell  them  that  the  arms  were 
losing  their  polish  in  these  smoky  rooms,  and 
also  that  the  gods  had  warned  thee  to  remove 
them  since  some  dispute  might  arise  in  which 
the  wooers  heated  with  wine  and  anger  would 
attack  each  other." 

Telemachos  at  once  obeyed.  He  called  his 
old  nurse  to  see  that  the  servants  were  in  their 
own  apartments  and  the  doors  of  the  palace 
made  fast  while  he  removed  the  arms  to  an 
upper  room.  Then  he  retired  to  rest,  leaving 
Odysseus  sitting  by  the  hearth  in  the  large 
dining-hall  awaiting  the  arrival  of  Penelope. 
She  was  not  long  in  coming.  Her  maids 
placed  a  chair,  inlaid  with  silver  and  ivory,  for 
her  near  the  fire,  and  threw  a  large  woolly  rug 
before  it  for  her  feet. 

The  queen,  stately  as  a  goddess,  took  her 
176 


Odysseus  and  Penelope  177 

seat  there  while  her  maids  carried  away  the 
dishes  and  food  left  by  the  suitors.  They  heaped 
great  logs  on  the  fire.  Then  Melantho,  an  im- 
pudent maid,  said  to  Odysseus :  "  Art  thou  here, 
thou  beggar!  Begone,  or  I  will  take  a  fire- 
brand and  drive  thee  out !  **  Odysseus  rejoined : 
"  Such  is  the  fate  of  beggars.  They  must  wan- 
der far  and  take  abuse.  It  is  true  that  I  am 
ragged,  but  I  am  not  unclean.  Once  I  was 
rich  and  had  my  own  palace.  I  often  gave  to 
beggars  and  I  had  many  servants.  But  it 
pleased  the  gods  to  make  me  poor.  Thou  pert 
woman,  surely  the  queen,  Penelope,  never 
taught  thee,  and  thy  bad  conduct  will  not  es- 
cape the  eye  of  Telemachos." 

Penelope  saw  and  heard  all  this  and  the  high- 
breeding  of  the  beggar  did  not  escape  her  keen 
notice.  She  turned  to  the  saucy  maid  and 
said :  "  Shame  on  thee,  thou  bold  creature. 
Thou  dost  know  full  well  that  this  stranger  has 
remained  here  at  my  own  request,  that  I  might 
inquire  if  he  knows  aught  of  my  husband." 

Then  the  queen  asked  her  matron  to  spread 
a  rug  for  the  poor  old  man.  Odysseus  sat 
down  and  Penelope  began  to  question  him. 
"  Who  art  thou,  stranger?"  she  asked.  "  Where 
is  thy  home?  Whence  hast  thou  come ?"  Odys- 
seus answered  her :  "  My  gracious  queen,  I  am 


1 78  Odysseus 

the  son  of  a  king  and  I  come  from  Crete.  I 
am  a  man  of  sorrows  and  have  wandered  far. 
But  do  not  ask  me  of  these  things,  for  I  do  not 
wish  to  lament  over  unhappy  days. 

Strong  ties  of  friendship  bind  me  to  Odys- 
seus. Twenty  years  ago,  when  he  went  to 
Troy,  I  received  him  as  a  guest  in  my  house, 
because  contrary  winds  and  a  stormy  sea  had 
thrown  him  upon  my  island.  I  led  him  to  my 
palace  and  gave  him  the  best  of  food  and  wine. 
Twelve  days  he  remained  with  me,  both  him- 
self and  his  companions.  On  the  thirteenth  a 
favorable  wind  arose  and  they  went  on  to 
Troy." 

Odysseus  kept  on  inventing  one  tale  after 
another,  such  as  might  seem  probable,  and  the 
tears  rolled  down  Penelope's  cheeks.  Odys- 
seus could  have  wept,  too,  when  he  saw  how 
deep  her  loyalty  and  affection  were  rooted. 
The  lady  had  no  doubt  of  the  genuine  charac- 
ter of  her  guest,  but  she  cautiously  strove  to 
prove  the  truth  of  his  words,  so  she  questioned 
him  yet  farther,  asking  him  to  describe  Odys- 
seus and  his  comrades — how  he  looked  and 
what  dress  he  wore. 

Odysseus  responded  truthfully :  "  He  wore 
a  cloak  of  purple  wool,  with  two  clasps  of 
gold,  hand-wrought.  The  pattern  showed  a 


Odysseus  and  Penelope  179 

hound  struggling  with  a  spotted  fawn,  intent 
to  kill  it.  Besides  this  he  had  on  a  delicate 
tunic  of  shining  cloth,  spun,  doubtless,  by  his 
queen,  for  the  women  gazed  at  it  in  wonder. 

He  was  accompanied  by  a  herald  named 
Eurybates,  a  hunchback  with  a  dark  complex- 
ion, but  Odysseus  seemed  to  value  him  above 
all  the  rest,  for  he  was  a  clever  and  a  faithful 
man." 

When  Odysseus  had  finished  speaking,  Pe- 
nelope exclaimed,  with  a  burst  of  passionate 
grief :  "  Stranger,  I  was  moved  to  pity  when  I 
first  saw  thee  in  my  halls,  but  thou  shalt  be 
held  as  an  honored  guest  from  this  time  for- 
ward. Thou  hast  spoken  truly  of  the  garments, 
for  I  shaped  the  folds  in  them  myself  and  put 
on  the  clasps.  Alas!  I  shall  never  see  him 
again.  It  was  a  cruel  fate  that  took  him  from 
me." 

Odysseus  was  deeply  moved,  and  tried  to 
speak  consoling  words.  "  Weep  not,"  he  said, 
"  for  grief  will  wear  away  thy  beauty  and  thy 
health.  Odysseus  lives  and  will  return.  I  met 
him  lately  on  his  homeward  way,  laden  with 
wealth  which  he  had  gathered  in  the  country 
of  the  Thesprotians. 

He  will  come  alone,  for  his  comrades  were 
destroyed  off  the  island  of  Trinacria,  for  they 


1 80  Odysseus 

had  slain  the  oxen  of  the  Sun.  He  would  have 
arrived  here  before  me,  only  that  he  stopped  to 
consult  an  oracle  whether  to  come  secretly  or 
not.  He  is  safe  and  will  not  long  remain  away 
from  thee.  Here  I  take  the  great  oath  that 
Odysseus  will  come  within  a  month." 

The  wise  queen  answered  him :  "  I  would 
that  thy  words  might  prove  true,  O  stranger, 
but  the  thought  is  deep  in  my  heart  that  Odys- 
seus is  no  more.  My  maidens,  lead  this  guest 
to  the  bath  and  spread  a  couch  for  him  where 
he  can  rest  quietly,  and  to-morrow  he  shall 
share  the  morning  meal  with  Telemachos." 

Then  said  Odysseus  to  her :  "  Fair  queen,  I 
care  not  for  fine  covers  and  soft  beds.  Wilt 
thou  permit  me  to  lie  down  on  the  floor  near 
the  fire,  as  I  am  used  to  do?  I  care  not  for 
the  bath,  either,  unless  there  is  some  old  ser- 
vant who  knows  how  to  give  a  foot-bath  to 
aged  feet." 


CHAPTER  XLIV 

EURYCLEIA   RECOGNIZES  ODYSSEUS 

PENELOPE  admired  the  prudence  of  the  poor 
old  beggar,  and  called  Eurycleia,  bidding  her 
to  bathe  the  stranger's  feet  as  carefully  as  if 


Eurycleia  Recognizes  Odysseus     181 

they  were  the  feet  of  her  master.  The  nurse 
filled  a  bright  brass  basin  with  warm  water 
and  knelt  down  to  execute  the  command  of  her 
royal  mistress,  saying:  "My  poor  Odysseus! 
My  heart  is  sore  for  him.  Who  knows  but  he 
may  be  wandering  like  thee,  weary  and  foot- 
sore !  Perhaps  he  is  an  object  of  ridicule  among 
serving-women  who  will  not  suffer  him  to  come 
near  the  bath. 

Stranger,  I  will  wash  thy  feet  for  the  sake  of 
my  absent  master,  and  to  please  that  gracious 
queen  who  has  commanded  me  to  do  so ;  but 
most  of  all  because  thou  art  in  need  of  it 
through  suffering.  Surely  I  never  saw  anyone 
who  bore  so  close  a  resemblance  to  my  lord  as 
thou." 

Odysseus  replied :  "  It  has  often  been  said 
that  I  look  like  Odysseus  by  those  who  knew 
us  both,  O  aged  dame."  Then  he  turned  his 
feet  away  from  the  light,  for  fear  that  Eury- 
cleia would  recognize  a  scar  and  discover  who 
he  was.  But  it  was  in  vain,  for  as  soon  as  she 
passed  her  hand  over  it  she  knew  it.  It  was 
a  scar  that  came  where  a  wild  boar  had  once 
torn  the  flesh  when  Odysseus  was  hunting  on 
Parnassos. 

The  old  servant  was  so  overcome  with  joy 
that  she  laughed  and  cried  at  the  same  time. 


1 82  Odysseus 

She  let  his  foot  fall  against  the  basin,  which  was 
upset  with  a  loud  clang,  while  the  water  was 
spilled  over  the  floor.  She  laid  her  hand  on 
Odysseus'  beard,  and  said  in  a  voice  trembling 
with  emotion :  "  Dear  son,  thou  art  Odysseus. 
I  knew  thee  the  moment  that  I  touched  the 
scar." 

Then  Eurycleia  turned  to  tell  Penelope  that 
her  lord  had  come,  for  the  queen  had  not  seen 
the  upsetting  of  the  basin.  But  Odysseus  laid 
his  finger  on  the  old  servant's  lips,  and  with  his 
left  hand  drew  her  closer  and  said  :  "  Be  silent. 
Let  no  one  know  that  I  have  come,  for  I  must 
slay  the  suitors  by  stratagem.  If  they  know 
that  I  am  here  they  will  prevent  me  and  de- 
stroy us  all." 

The  loyal,  handmaid  arose  to  bring  another 
basin  of  w*ater.  She  bathed  his  feet  and 
anointed  them.  And  he  moved  to  the  fire  and 
took  his  seat,  while  he  pulled  his  ragged  gar- 
ments over  the  scar  to  hide  it,  lest  it  might 
betray  him. 


CHAPTER    XLV 
PENELOPE'S  DREAM 

WHEN  Odysseus  was  again  seated  by  the 
hearth,  Penelope  began  to  speak  to  him  further: 
"  Stranger,  one  more  question  I  must  ask  thee, 
and  then  I  will  leave  thee,  for  the  hour  of  sleep 
is  near.  All  day  long  I  keep  at  my  tasks  to  try 
to  forget  my  grief,  for  the  gods  have  visited 
me  with  sore  misfortunes.  I  teach  my  maids 
to  spin  and  weave  and  care  for  the  palace. 
But  when  night  comes  strange  dreams  flit 
through  my  mind,  and  new  sorrows  spring  up 
in  my  heart. 

There  are  from  day  to  day  assembled  in  my 
home  all  the  young  men  of  the  best  families 
of  Ithaca  and  the  neighboring  isles,  who  insist 
that  I  shall  choose  one  of  them  for  a  husband. 
But  as  I  am  not  willing  to  comply,  they  remain 
in  my  house*  and  destroy  my  property.  I  am 
not  able  to  drive  them  out,  and  do  not  know 
how  to  help  myself.  Listen  to  a  dream  I  had 
the  other  night.  Perhaps  thou  canst  explain 
it  to  me. 

I  dreamt  that  there  was  a  flock  of  twenty 
183 


184  Odysseus 

geese  in  my  court-yard,  and  they  picked  corn 
out  of  the  water  and  ate  greedily.  Suddenly 
an  eagle  swooped  down  upon  them  from  above 
and  broke  their  necks  and  tore  them  to  pieces. 
Then  he  flew  off,  leaving  them  scattered  about 
the  yard.  I  bitterly  bewailed  the  loss  of  my 
geese,  and  so  did  my  maids.  After  awhile  the 
eagle  came  back  and,  perching  on  the  roof,  said 
to  me :  '  Take  courage,  Penelope,  this  is  no 
dream.  The  geese  are  the  wooers,  but  I,  the 
eagle,  am  thy  husband,  and  I  have  come  to  kill 
those  impudent  robbers  that  vex  thee.'  " 

Odysseus  answered  her  :     "  The  eagle  gave 
the   right    explanation,    O   lady.     The    dream .  , 
could  not  have  had  any  other  meaning.     Odys- 
seus will  come  and  slay  the  wooers,  and  not 
one  shall  escape  him." 

"  Dreams  do  not  always  come  to  pass,"  re- 
joined Penelope,  "  but  I  heartily  wish  that  this 
might  be  fulfilled.  Be  patient  a  little  longer, 
for  I  have  one  thing  more  to  say.  To-morrow 
is  a  decisive  day,  for  it  may  be  the  one  that 
drives  me  from  the  palace.  I  shall  propose  a 
contest  for  my  hand.  Twenty  years  ago  Odys- 
seus set  up  twelve  axes,  one  behind  the  other, 
in  the  court.  Through  the  rings  of  the  han- 
dles he  shot  an  arrow,  although  he  stood  at  a 
great  distance.  I  will  challenge  the  suitors  to 


Athena  Encourages  Odysseus       185 

take  the  same  bow  and  send  the  arrow  through 
the  rings  as  Odysseus  did.  He  who  succeeds 
shall  lead  me  forth  a  bride,  to  his  own  palace." 

Odysseus  responded  :  "  Do  not  let  the  con- 
test be  put  off.  Odysseus  will  be  at  hand  a 
long  time  before  an)'  of  the  suitors  can  bend 
his  bow." 

"  Thy  words,  O  stranger,  are  comforting," 
said  Penelope.  "  I  could  sit  and  listen  to  thee 
all  night.  But  as  thou  art  in  need  of  rest,  I 
will  retire  to  my  apartment,  and  the  maids  shall 
spread  rugs  before  the  fire  for  thee."  Penel- 
ope, having  said  this,  went  up  to  her  room, 
her  maids  following  her,  and  she  wept,  think- 
ing of  her  royal  lord,  until  Athena  closed  her 
eyes  in  sleep. 


CHAPTER  XLVI 

ATHENA  ENCOURAGES  ODYSSEUS 

ODYSSEUS  was  lying  on  his  bed,  but  he  could 
not  sleep,  for  he  was  thinking  how  he  might  de- 
stroy the  suitors.  Suddenly  Athena  appeared 
to  him,  and  said  :  "  Odysseus,  why  dost  thou 
lie  awake?  Thou  art  in  thine  own  house  and 
near  thy  wife  and  child."  "  All  this  is  true, 


1 86  Odysseus 

O  goddess,"  answered  Odysseus.  "  But  I  am 
only  one  and  the  suitors  are  many.  How 
shall  I,  single-handed,  meet  this  multitude  of 
men?" 

"  Sleep  in  peace,  Odysseus,"  returned  Athena. 
"To  lie  awake  saps  the  life  and  strength  of 
men.  The  time  has  come  when  all  thy  suffer- 
ings shall  end.  The  gods  protect  thee  and 
they  are  stronger  than  armed  warriors."  Thus 
spoke  the  goddess,  and,  closing  his  eyelids  with 
sweet  slumber,  she  flew  up  to  Olympos. 

While  Odysseus  was  sleeping,  his  wife  had 
waked,  and,  sitting  on  her  bed,  addressed  a 
prayer  to  Artemis :  "  Rather  let  me  die,  O  god- 
dess, than  become  the  wife  of  any  other  man 
than  Odysseus.  The  very  thought  vexes  me 
day  and  night.  Just  now  I  had  a  dream.  I 
seemed  to  see  Odysseus  just  as  he  was  when 
he  started  out  for  Troy.  I  was  so  glad  that  I 
could  not  believe  that  it  was  not  a  reality." 

She  prayed  aloud,  and  soon  daylight  ap- 
peared. Odysseus  heard  the  voice  and  it  filled 
his  heart  with  anxiety.  He  arose  and  hastily 
placed  the  rugs  on  which  he  had  slept  on  a 
bench  in  the  palace.  Then  he  went  out  into 
the  open  air.  Telemachos  had  risen  also,  and 
he  went  forth  to  the  market-place.  Eurycleia 
called  the  servants  together  and  ordered  them 


Athena  Encourages  Odysseus       187 

to  be  quick  about  their  work,  for  a  festival  was 
to  be  celebrated  that  day  and  the  wooers  would 
come  early. 

There  was  a  busy  time.  The  menials  obeyed, 
some  bringing  water,  some  sweeping  the  floors, 
others  polishing  the  benches  and  covering  them 
with  royal  tapestries.  The  servants  of  the 
suitors  came  also  and  cut  wood  for  the  fires. 
Eumaios  arrived  early,  driving  three  fat  hogs. 
He  saluted  Odysseus  and  asked  him  if  he  were 
well  treated  by  the  suitors,  or  if  they  contin- 
ued to  scoff  at  him.  Odysseus  answered  him : 
"  May  the  gods  punish  the  ruthless  men  who 
perpetrate  such  wrongs  in  a  stranger's  home." 
While  they  were  talking  together  the  goatherd 
joined  him,  and  repeated  the  sneers  and  abuse 
of  the  preceding  day.  Odysseus  took  no  notice 
of  it,  except  to  shake  his  head  as  one  who  plans 
direful  things. 

The  master  herdsman  now  came  along  with 
a  fat  heifer  and  choice  goats  for  the  day's  ban- 
quet. Offering  his  hand  to  Odysseus,  he  ex- 
claimed :  "  Hail  to  thee,  stranger !  A  long  and 
happy  life  be  thine !  Methinks  my  master  must 
be  clothed  in  rags  and  wandering  like  thee. 
Thou  dost  bring  his  image  to  my  mind.  I 
hope  he  may  return  and  drive  these  suitors  out 
of  his  palace."  "  Be  sure  that  he  will  come, 


1 88  Odysseus 

herdsman;  thou  wilt  see  him  with  thine  own 
eyes,  when  he  slays  the  ruthless  suitors,  and 
then  thou  wilt  know  who  is  lord  of  the  palace," 
replied  Odysseus. 

The  suitors  were  talking  apart  from  the  rest 
and  conspiring  to  take  the  life  of  Telemachos, 
when  an  eagle  wheeled  over  their  heads,  tearing 
a  timid  dove.  With  hearts  foreboding  ill  at 
this  omen,  they  went  into  the  hall  to  begin  the 
banquet,  while  the  herdsman  went  his  way  first 
saying,  "  When  Odysseus  comes,  call  on  me, 
and  I  will  show  how  strong  my  arm  is  to  deal 
a  blow  at  his  enemies." 


CHAPTER   XLVII 

THE   LAST   BANQUET   OF   THE   SUITORS 

THE  suitors  had  now  arrived  in  the  great  ban- 
quet-hall and  taken  their  places  at  the  tables. 
The  servants  brought  bread  and  meat  and 
placed  it  before  them,  while  Melanthios  filled 
their  goblets  with  wine.  Telemachos  placed 
Odysseus  near  the  door,  and  gave  him  an  ample 
supply  of  food,  saying:  "Eat  and  drink,  stran- 
ger, without  fear.  None  of  the  wooers  shall 
assail  thee,  for  I  will  stand  guard." 


The  Last  Banquet  of  the  Suitors    189 

One  of  the  suitors,  an  evil-minded  man  with 
a  rich  father,  said  to  his  companions :  "  My 
friends,  this  stranger  enjoys  his  meal  greatly. 
It  does  not  become  any  one  of  us  to  begrudge 
good  things  to  the  guests  of  Telemachos.  I, 
too,  wish  to  give  him  a  present,  which  he  in 
turn  may  bestow  on  some  ether  beggar."  With 
that  he  seized  an  ox's  foot  and  hurled  it  at 
Odysseus. 

Odysseus  dodged  it  by  holding  down  his 
head.  Telemachos  grew  angry  and  rebuked 
the  suitor  in  these  words :  "  Ktesippos,  thou 
hast  escaped  death.  It  is  well  that  this  stranger 
avoided  thy  blow,  for  if  thou  hadst  struck  him, 
my  sharp  spear  would  have  pinned  thee  to  the 
wall,  and  thy  father  would  have  prepared  a 
burial  instead  of  a  wedding  for  thee." 

Dreadful  forebodings  of  woe  began  to  fill  the 
hearts  of  the  suitors.  Their  speech  became 
rambling  and  they  laughed  insanely.  They  ate 
and  drank  like  men  deranged. 

Penelope  now  entered  the  great  hall  and  took 
her  seat  upon  a  magnificent  throne,  right  in 
front  of  the  suitors.  She  heard  the  maudlin 
laughter  and  saw  the  gluttonous  feasting  as 
the  revel  ran  high.  Then  Athena  came  and 
moved  her  mind  to  immediate  action,  and  she 
went  up  to  the  farthest  chamber  with  her  maids, 


190  Odysseus 

where  the  arms  of  Odysseus  were  stored.  His 
bow  and  deadly  arrows,  so  long  unused,  were 
there,  with  rich  treasures  and  perfumed  gar- 
ments. She  wept  as  she  took  the  bow  from  its 
case  and  went  out,  followed  by  the  servants, 
who  carried  down  costly  prizes,  such  as  Odys- 
seus gave  when  festivals  with  games  were  held 
in  his  halls. 

She  took  her  place,  standing  before  the 
suitors,  and  addressed  them :  "  Ye  noble  suitors, 
listen  to  my  words.  Cease  to  eat  and  drink 
and  come  to  the  contest.  Too  long  have  ye 
lived  at  my  table,  giving  as  an  excuse  that  ye 
would  win  me  as  a  bride.  The  suitor  who  can 
bend  this  bow  and  send  this  arrow  through 
these  twelve  axes  shall  claim  me  as  his  wife, 
and  I  will  follow  him  to  his  home." 

Penelope  called  to  the  swineherd  and  the 
herdsmen  to  place  the  rings  and  carry  the  bow 
to  the  suitors.  Each  in  turn  tried  to  do  so,  but 
were  overcome  with  grief  at  seeing  their  mas- 
ter's weapons,  and  laid  them  down. 

Antinoos  lifted  up  his  voice  and  chid  them : 
"Ye  foolish  peasants,  must  your  eyes  flow  with 
tears  at  this  feast?  Bring  the  bow  or  leave  the 
palace.  Methinks  we  shall  have  hard  work  to 
bend  this  bow,  for  none  of  us  have  such  sinews 
as  had  Odysseus." 


The  Last  Banquet  of  the  Suitors     191 

Then  Telemachos  took  up  the  bow  and 
laughed.  "  I  must  have  lost  my  wits,"  he 
said,  "  for  I  am  glad  that  this  contest  will  take 
place.  There  is  not  such  another  woman  in 
Greece  as  my  stately  mother.  Make  no  delay 
then.  I  long  to  see  the  man  who  can  bend  the 
bow.  I  would  that  I  might  bend  it  myself  and 
win  the  right  to  keep  her  in  her  own  home. 
Then  I  should  be  spared  the  grief  of  losing 
her." 

Telemachos  took  off  his  cloak  and  laid  his 
sword  aside.  He  placed  the  axes  in  a  row  and 
took  the  bow  and  made  three  attempts  to  bend 
it,  but  did  not  succeed.  He  would  have  ac- 
complished the  feat  if  he  had  made  one  more 
effort,  but  Odysseus  made  a  sign  to  him  to  de- 
sist, so  he  set  the  bow  against  the  wall  and 
went  back  to  his  seat. 

The  first  suitor  to  make  the  trial  had  never 
been  pleased  with  the  insolence  of  the  wooers, 
and  had  great  foresight  and  was  called  their 
seer.  His  hands  were  soft  and  delicate.  He 
could  not  bend  the  bow,  but  he  predicted  that 
it  would  be  the  instrument  to  bring  death  to 
the  whole  crew. 

Antinoos  reproached  him  for  his  prophecies, 
and  ordered  Melanthios  to  light  a  fire  and 
bring  a  slice  of  fat,  that  the  bow  might  be 


192  Odysseus 

warmed  and  oiled  to  make  it  pliable.  They 
warmed  it  and  rubbed  it  with  oil,  and  tried  to 
bend  it.  One  after  another,  each  in  turn,  they 
made  trials,  but  all  in  vain. 

In  the  meantime  Odysseus  went  to  the  swine- 
herd and  the  master  of  the  herds,  who  had  dis- 
played such  loyalty.  He  said  to  them :  "  My 
friends,  what  if  Odysseus  should  come ;  would 
you  take  part  with  him,  or  join  the  crowd  of 
suitors?  Speak  truly."  The  two  men  an- 
swered, appealing  to  the  gods  to  bear  witness, 
that  they  would  stand  by  their  master  to  the 
end. 

"  Behold,"  said  Odysseus,  "  I  am  the  master 
that  you  love.  I  have  come  to  my  own  land 
after  twenty  years  of  suffering,  and  among  all 
my  servants  I  hear  none  pray  for  my  return 
save  you  two.  And  now  that  you  may  surely 
recognize  me  I  will  show  you  the  scar  made  by 
a  boar  on  Parnassos."  He  raised  his  ragged 
tunic  for  a  moment  and  they  looked  at  the 
scar.  They  recognized  their  long-lost  master, 
and  threw  their  arms  around  him  and  wept, 
and  kissed  his  hands  and  feet. 

Odysseus  begged  them  to  desist,  lest  the  suit- 
ors should  notice  it  and  discover  him.  And  he 
instructed  them  to  bring  the  bow  to  him  and 
place  it  in  his  hands,  after  all  the  wooers  had 


The  Last  Banquet  of  the  Suitors     193 

failed  to  bend  it.  And  he  told  them  to  shut 
and  lock  the  doors,  so  that  the  maid-servants 
could  not  hear  the  groans  of  the  dying  men, 
for  they  might  run  out  and  warn  the  town. 

Eurymachos  and  Antinoos  were  the  last  to 
make  trial  of  the  bow.  Eurymachos  sat  be- 
fore the  fire  and  warmed  it  on  both  sides,  but 
he  could  not  bend  it.  He  was  vexed  beyond 
measure,  and  said :  "  It  is  not  that  I  care  for 
Penelope,  for  there  are  other  women  that  would 
suit  me  just  as  well,  but  if  we  are  weaker  than 
Odysseus  our  sons  will  hear  of  it  in  future 
times  and  be  ashamed  of  us." 

Antinoos  took  up  the  word :  "  Eurymachos," 
he  said,  "  this  is  a  day  held  sacred  to  Apollo, 
god  of  the  silver  bow.  He  should  have  no 
rival.  Let  the  bow  alone,  lest  the  god  be  angry 
and  leave  the  axes  standing  in  a  row.  No  one 
will  dare  to  touch  them.  Let  Melanthios  bring 
goats,  and  we  will  offer  up  sacrifices  to  the  god 
and  invite  his  aid.  Then  we  shall  have  strength 
to  win  in  this  struggle." 


CHAPTER    XLVIII 

ODYSSEUS   BENDS   THE   BOW 

THE  suitors  approved  the  words  of  Antinoos. 
The  heralds  filled  their  cups  with  wine,  and 
the  wise  Odysseus  waited  until  they  had  drunk 
to  their  hearts'  content. 

Then  he  lifted  up  his  voice  and  said :  "  Hear 
me,  ye  suitors  of  Penelope,  while  I  advise  that 
you  defer  this  trial  of  your  strength  until  anoth- 
er day.  Apollo  will  then  bestow  the  power  on 
one  of  you  to  triumph  over  the  others.  Let  me 
practise  with  the  bow  to-day,  to  see  if  I  have 
any  of  my  youthful  strength,  or  if  I  have  lost  it 
through  suffering  and  want." 

The  suitors  were  moved  with  desperate  fear 
and  anger.  "  Thou  senseless  beggar,"  said  An- 
tinoos, "  is  it  not  enough  that  we  allow  thee  to 
sit  at  a  banquet  with  the  proudest  men  alive  ? 
Thou  art  drunk  and  thy  mind  wanders.  What 
would  come  to  thee  if  thou  shouldst  bend  this 
bow?  Verily  we  would  sell  thee  for  a  slave  to 
the  great  enemy  of  men." 

Then  said  Penelope :  "  Indeed,  Antinoos,  it 
194 


Odysseus  Bends  the  Bow  195 

is  not  large-minded  to  deny  this  poor  old  man 
the  pleasure  of  trying  the  bow. 

Dost  thou  think  I  would  go  forth  as  the  wife 
of  a  beggar  ?  Nay,  the  stranger  has  no  hope 
of  that  Do  not  let  your  minds  be  teased  with 
such  thoughts." 

Eury machos,  the  leading  suitor,  rejoined : 
"  Our  care  is  not  that  thou  wilt  wed  this  man. 
But  we  fear  the  ridicule  of  the  people,  who  will 
say,  '  These  are  great  men,  indeed,  who  are  out- 
done in  strength  and  skill  by  a  miserable  old 
beggar.'  It  would  be  a  never-ending  shame 
to  us." 

"  Nay,  Eurymachos,"  replied  Penelope,  "  real 
shame  comes  on  him  who  robs  a  good  man  and 
brings  trouble  to  his  family.  This  beggar 
claims  to  be  of  good  blood,  and  his  arm  is 
sinewy.  Let  him  try  the  bow.  I  make  a  sol- 
emn promise  that  if  Apollo  "grant  him  the 
honor  of  bending  the  bow,  I  shall  do  no  less 
than  bestow  upon  him  a  tunic  and  a  cloak,  and 
sandals,  and  I  will  give  him  a  sword  with 
which  he  can  defend  himself.  Then  he  can  go 
where  he  likes." 

Telemachos  saw  that  the  great  crisis  was  at 
hand.  "  Mother,"  he  said,  "  it  rests  with  me  to 
give  the  bow  or  withhold  it  Such  matters 
belong  to  men,  and  in  this  palace  the  authority 


1 96  Odysseus 

is  mine.  Take  thy  maids,  then,  and  retire  to 
thy  apartments,  and  ply  the  tasks  most  suitable 
to  women." 

The  queen  recognized  her  son's  wisdom,  and 
withdrew  with  her  maids  to  the  upper  rooms. 
There  she  wept  for  the  beloved  monarch,  her 
absent  lord,  until  Athena  sent  a  soothing  sleep 
to  comfort  her. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  swineherd  took  up  the 
bow  and  undertook  to  carry  it  to  Odysseus. 
The  suitors  shouted  their  disapproval,  and  he 
became  confused  and  set  it  down.  Telema- 
chos  called  out  above  the  clamor  and  gave 
command  for  him  to  carry  it  along.  The  suit- 
ors laughed  to  hear  the  young  man's  voice  ring 
out  like  a  trumpet  and  drown  all  other  noises. 
Odysseus  took  the  bow  and  turned  it  from  side 
to  side,  examining  it  in  every  part.  Telema- 
chos,  in  a  low  tone,  bade  Eurycleia  make  fast 
all  the  doors,  and  the  master  herdsman  tied  the 
gates  of  the  outer  court  with  a  ship's  cable. 

The  suitors  grew  uneasy,  and  one  of  them  said 
to  another:  "  See  the  beggar,  how  he  turns  the 
bow  this  way  and  that !  He  would  have  us  think 
that  he  is  an  expert  in  the  use  of  bows."  Odys- 
seus stretched  the  cord  and  made  it  fast  from 
end  to  end.  He  put  it  to  his  ear  to  try  its 
tenseness  as  a  minstrel  tunes  his  harp.  It  sang 


Odysseus  Bends  the  Bow  197 

like  a  bird.  With  perfect  ease  he  drew  the 
cord  and  let  the  arrow  fly.  It  screamed  like  a 
swallow  and  went  through  every  ring  from  the 
first  one  to  the  last  The  suitors  turned  pale. 
Zeus  sent  a  loud  thunder-clap  and  Odysseus 
rejoiced  at  the  omen.  He  sprang  to  the 
threshold  with  his  bow  in  hand  and  a  quiver 
full  of  arrows  at  his  side,  and  shouted :  "  The 
contest  is  ended.  Now  I  will  choose  another 
target" 

Antinoos  had  just  put  a  golden  goblet  to  his 
lips,  and  was  about  to  drink  the  delicious 
wine.  An  arrow  pierced  his  throat.  He 
dropped  the  cup  and  fell  to  the  ground,  and 
as  he  fell  his  feet  struck  the  table.  The  bread 
and  meat  were  scattered  in  every  direction 
over  the  floor.  The  suitors  sprang  to  their 
feet  and  looked  for  the  weapons  on  the  walls. 
The  spears  were  gone,  and  the  lances  and  all 
the  armor. 

Even  yet  they  were  blind  to  the  fact  that 
the  stranger  had  slain  Antinoos  purposely. 
They  poured  out  threats.  "  Fool,"  they  said, 
"what  art  thou  doing?  How  couldst  thou  be 
so  careless !  Thou  hast  slain  the  noblest  man 
in  Ithaca.  Dogs  and  vultures  shall  devour  the^e. 
Never  again  shalt  thou  be  allowed  a  trial  with 
the  bow." 


198  Odysseus 

"  Dogs,"  cried  Odysseus,  "  ye  little  thought 
your  chief  would  ever  return  from  Troy,  and 
therefore  ye  have  robbed  me  of  my  wealth 
and  vexed  my  wife  with  offers  of  marriage,  re- 
gardless of  the  laws  of  god  and  man.  But  now 
the  hour  of  your  death  has  come  and  your 
doom  is  certain." 

The  suitors  trembled  and  looked  for  some 
open  door  through  which  to  fly  for  safety.  Only 
Eurymachos  took  courage  to  make  a  defence. 
"  If  thou  art  indeed  Odysseus,  thou  hast  good 
cause  to  complain  of  wrongs,"  he  said.  "  But 
thou  hast  slain  the  leader,  Antinoos,  who 
prompted  us  to  do  these  wrongs.  He  had  no 
thought  of  love  for  thy  wife.  He  wanted  to  gain 
thy  land  and  rule  over  thy  people.  Spare  the 
rest  of  us  and  we  will  make  ample  restitution." 

A  dreadful  frown  spread  over  Odysseus' 
face,  and  he  replied  :  "  Eurymachos,  I  will  not 
take  thy  wealth  nor  will  1  spare  thy  life.  Now 
choose  between  the  two,  either  to  fight  or  fly 
from  death.  Be  sure  no  suitor  shall  escape  my 
vengeance." 

The  suitors  all  grew  faint  with  fear.  Eurym- 
achos cried  out  to  them :  "  Ye  Ithacans,  this 
man  will  stand  there  at  the  door  and  shoot  us 
all  down  one  by  one.  Out  with  your  swords  ! 
Hold  up  the  tables  for  shields,  and  rush  upon 


Odysseus  Bends  the  Bow  199 

him,  all  of  you,  at  once.  Drive  him  out  of  the 
gates,  and  then  hurry  through  the  city  and  give 
a  general  alarm." 

With  a  fearful  shout  Eurymachos  then  drew 
his  own  sword  and  sprang  toward  Odysseus. 
A  deadly  arrow  from  the  famous  bow  met  him 
and  he  fell  upon  the  table,  upsetting  it,  and  he 
went  spinning  round  with  it  on  the  paved  floor, 
while  the  food  and  cup  of  wine  were  scattered 
all  about.  His  head  struck  upon  a  stone  and 
his  feet  against  a  chair.  Death  closed  his 
eyes. 

Another  suitor  drew  his  sword  and  rushed 
toward  Odysseus.  Telemachos  met  him  with 
a  lance  and  slew  him.  Then  Telemachos 
sprang  to  his  father's  side  and  said :  "  My 
father,  I  will  bring  thee  javelins  and  a  shield, 
and  I  will  arm  myself  and  the  swineherd  and 
the  master  herdsmen."  "  Make  haste,  my  son," 
responded  Odysseus,  "  for  I  have  but  few  ar- 
rows left." 

Telemachos  hastened  to  the  room  where  the 
arms  had  been  stored  and  clothed  himself  in 
brass.  His  loyal  herdsmen  also  put  on  splen- 
did armor,  and  they  hastened  back  to  Odys- 
seus with  a  complete  outfit  for  him.  The  chief 
had  used  up  his  arrows,  and  now  he  dressed 
himself  in  armor  and  took  the  lances.  Just 


2OO  Odysseus 

then  he  perceived  that  the  suitors  had  by 
some  means  been  supplied  with  armor  also. 
He  called  to  Telemachos,  who  had  left  the 
door  ajar  leading  to  the  apartment  where  the 
arms  had  been  placed  for  safety. 

Melanthios,  the  goatherd,  had  sneaked  in 
and  was  slyly  bringing  shields  and  helmets 
down  to  them.  Telemachos  saw  him,  and  gave 
orders  to  the  herdsmen  to  lock  the  doors  of 
the  armory  and  secure  the  spy.  They  hast- 
ened to  the  armory  and  found  Melanthios, 
who  had  come  back  for  a  second  load.  They 
cast  him  on  the  floor  and  tied  his  arms  down  so 
that  he  could  not  move  them.  Then  they  took 
a  rope  and  made  two  loops  in  it  and  swung  him 
safely  to  the  timbers  in  the  roof,  saying :  "  Me- 
lanthios, thou  hast  a  soft  bed,  and  it  is  where 
thou  canst  keep  watch.  In  the  morning  thou 
canst  drive  thy  goats  to  the  suitors'  banquet." 
They  locked  the  doors  and  left  him  there  and 
took  their  places  at  Odysseus'  side. 


CHAPTER    XLIX 

DEATH   OF  THE  SUITORS 

THE  combat  grew  more  stubborn.  Athena, 
in  the  guise  of  Mentor,  stood  near  Odysseus 
and  cheered  him  on.  "  Woe  unto  thee,  Men- 
tor, if  thou  dost  dare  to  help  Odysseus,"  cried 
one  of  the  suitors.  "  We  will  not  spare  thee 
when  we  have  slain  him.  More  yet,  we  will 
drive  thy  wife  and  children  out  of  Ithaca  and 
keep  thy  wealth."  The  goddess,  in  great  anger 
at  this  audacity,  turned  toward  Odysseus  and 
said :  "  Thou  art  not  so  swift  and  terrible  in 
fighting,  O  Chieftain,  as  thou  wert  before  the 
walls  of  Troy." 

Athena  said  this  to  spur  Odysseus  on,  but  she 
did  not  remain  at  his  side.  She  changed  her- 
self into  a  swallow  and  perched  upon  a  rafter 
of  the  great  hall,  to  put  his  prowess  to  a  greater 
test.  When  she  had  gone,  the  suitors  grew 
braver  and  threw  their  spears  at  Odysseus  thick 
and  fast.  But  their  aim  was  uncertain,  and  they 
struck  pillars  and  panels  and  the  wall,  for  the 
goddess  turned  their  shafts  aside. 

Odysseus  and  Telemachos  and  their  faithful 


2O2  Odysseus 

servants  hurled  their  lances,  and  the  weapons 
always  hit  the  mark.  The  cowherd  struck 
Ktesippos  in  the  breast  and  exclaimed,  as  the 
suitor  fell :  "  Ktesippos,  I  give  thee  this  spear 
in  exchange  for  the  ox's  foot  which  thou  didst 
throw  at  Odysseus  as  a  gift  when  he  asked  alms 
of  thee." 

Four  of  the  wooers  fell  to  the  ground  at  once 
and  the  remainder  retreated  to  the  farthest  cor- 
ner of  the  hall.  Still  they  rallied  for  another 
onset.  Odysseus  rushed  in  upon  them  and  cut 
them  down  right  and  left,  while  Athena  from 
above  shook  her  fearful  aegis.  The  surviving 
wooers  were  stricken  with  terror  and  ran  about 
like  a  herd  of  oxen  chased  by  a  swarm  of  gad- 
flies. Only  the  minstrel  Phemios  and  the  herald 
Medon  were  spared.  Both  of  them  had  served 
the  suitors  most  unwillingly  and  had  secretly 
advised  with  Telemachos. 

Odysseus  searched  up  and  down  the  hall  to 
see  if  any  suitor  could  be  found  alive.  As  fishes 
lie  upon  the  beach  when  they  have  been  poured 
out  from  the  nets  upon  the  sand,  so  lay  the  mul- 
titude of  wooers.  Not  one  survived. 

Then  Odysseus  called  Eurycleia  and  bade 
her  summon  all  of  the  impudent  and  unfaithful 
servants  who  had  taken  sides  with  the  suitors. 
They  came  into  the  hall  and  with  loud  laments 


Return  of  Odysseus  to  Penelope      203 

took  up  the  slain  and  carried  them  out  as  they 
were  commanded,  and  placed  them  in  a  walled 
court-  Then  they  cleaned  the  hall  with  water 
and  sponges,  and  polished  the  wood  and  set 
everything  in  order. 

When  this  was  done,  they  were  driven  like  a 
flock  of  birds  into  a  narrow  place  outside  and 
hung  to  a  beam  to  die  wretchedly.  Melan- 
thios  also  was  brought  down  from  the  armory 
and  cast  among  the  dogs  to  die. 

The  palace  now  was  purged  with  the  smoke 
of  sulphur,  and  the  air  was  purified  with  in- 
cense. The  loyal  servants  crowded  about 
their  chieftain  and  welcomed  him  with  glad 
salutations.  They  kissed  his  hands  and  face, 
and  wept  and  laughed  for  joy.  Odysseus  was 
deeply  moved  and  sobbed  aloud. 


CHAPTER  L 

EURYCLEIA  ANNOUNCES  THE  RETURN  OF 
ODYSSEUS  TO  PENELOPE 

EURYCLEIA,  with  an  exulting  heart,  now  hur- 
ried up  the  lofty  stairs  and  stood  by  the  queen 
in  her  royal  chamber.  "  Penelope,"  she  cried, 
"  my  child,  Odysseus  has  come.  Thy  husband 


2O4  Odysseus 

is  here,  and  he  has  slain  the  whole  crew  of  in- 
solent suitors  who  squandered  his  riches 
and  scoffed  at  his  son."  Prudent  Penelope  an- 
swered her :  "  Eurycleia,  thou  art  mad.  The 
gods  have  taken  thy  wits  away.  Do  not  mock 
me  with  such  idle  tales.  If  any  other  maid 
had  come  on  such  an  errand  and  waked  me 
from  sleep,  I  wduld  have  dismissed  her  with 
anger." 

"  Nay,  dear  child,  I  do  not  mock  thee ; 
Odysseus  has  come  and  is  now  sitting  by  the 
hearth.  The  beggar  whom  they  scoffed  at  in 
the  hall  was  Odysseus.  Telemachos  knew  it, 
but  dared  not  tell  thee  until  the  suitors  should 
be  slain." 

Penelope  rose  from  her  couch  and  seized 
Eurycleia  by  the  hands. 

"  Tell  me,  dear  nurse,"  she  said,  "  tell  me 
truly,  if  in  fact  my  husband  has  returned,  how 
was  it  possible  that  he  alone  could  destroy  such 
a  multitude  of  haughty  men  !  "  "I  did  not  see 
it,"  responded  the  old  nurse,  "  but  I  heard  the 
groans  of  the  dying  men  as  I  sat  with  the  other 
maids  in  our  own  rooms.  The  doors  were 
locked  to  bar  us  from  the  hall.  When  Telem- 
achos called  me,  I  found  Odysseus  surrounded 
by  the  slain.  When  we  had  washed  the  hall 
and  purged  it  with  smoke  and  purified  the  air 


Return  of  Odysseus  to  Penelope      205 

with  incense,  thy  husband  ordered  me  to  call 
£ hee.  Follow  me  now,  my  child,  that  your  heart 
may  be  gladdened  after  it  has  been  oppressed 
so  long  with  sorrows." 

Penelope  replied  again :  "  Nay,  I  cannot  be- 
lieve it.  The  gods  may  have  slain  the  suitors 
under  the  guise  of  Odysseus,  but  he  has  per- 
ished far  away  from  home,  and  never  will 
return." 

"  My  daughter,"  said  the  aged  nurse,  "  what 
words  are  these  ?  I  recognized  Odysseus  my- 
self by  the  well-known  scar  made  by  the  boar's 
tusk.  I  turned  to  tell  thee,  but  he  laid  his  fin- 
ger on  my  lips  and  said : '  Be  silent.  Let  no 
one  know  that  I  am  here  until  the  suitors  all 
are  slain,  or  else  they  will  destroy  me."  Now 
follow  me.  I  pledge  my  life  that  I  speak  the 
truth." 

Penelope  descended  from  her  royal  bower 
uncertain  how  to  meet  her  lord.  She  crossed 
the  threshold  and  sat  down  at  the  hearth, 
opposite  Odysseus,  who  was  seated  beside  a 
stately  column  in  the  blazing  light  of  the  fire. 
He  did  not  lift  his  eyes  to  look  at  his  wife, 
but  waited  for  her  to  make  the  way  open  for 
him  to  speak.  Penelope  was  speechless.  She 
looked  at  her  husband  and  seemed  sometimes 
to  recognize  him,  and  then  the  resemblance 


206  Odysseus 

faded  out  and  he  did  not  seem  at  all  like 
Odysseus. 

Telemachos  became  impatient  and  spoke  to 
her,  chiding  her.  "  Mother,"  he  said,  "  thou 
art  hard-hearted  and  unkind.  Any  other  wom- 
an would  extend  a  hearty  welcome  to  her  hus- 
band after  he  had  suffered  so  many  years  of 
hardship,  wandering  in  foreign  lands.  Take 
thy  place  at  my  father's  side  and  question  him. 
Verily  thy  heart  is  harder  than  a  stone."  "  My 
son,"  answered  Penelope,  "  I  seem  to  have  lost 
the  power  to  speak.  I  am  dazed  and  cannot 
even  command  myself  to  look  at  him.  If  this 
is  indeed  Odysseus  we  soon  shall  know  each 
other,  for  there  are  secrets  known  to  us  two 
only." 

Odysseus  smiled  and  said :  "  My  son,  be 
patient,  and  let  thy  mother  put  me  to  the  test. 
She  does  not  know  me  in  these  rags,  but  she 
will  soon  be  convinced  that  I  am  Odysseus.  It 
is  more  important  now  to  prevent  the  news 
that  the  suitors  have  been  slain  from  spreading. 
They  have  friends  all  over  the  city.  Who 
knows  but  what  they  may  rise  up  against  us. 
I  deem  it  best  that  we  bathe  and  put  on  fresh 
garments,  and  let  the  servants  do  the  same. 

And  let  the  minstrel  bring  his  lyre  and 
strike  up  such  music  as  prompts  the  dance,  so 


Return  of  Odysseus  to  Penelope     207 

that  those  living  near  us  may  report  that  a  wed- 
ding is  being  celebrated.  Then*we  may  safely 
venture  forth  and  see  what  is  to  be  done." 

Thus  spoke  the  monarch,  and  his  commands 
were  gladly  obeyed.  Telemachos  and  the  ser- 
vants went  their  way  to  the  baths  and  arrayed 
themselves  in  splendid  clothing.  The  bard 
took  his  harp  and  woke  the  pleasing  strains, 
and  the  palace  halls  resounded  with  mirth  and 
dancing. 

After  awhile  those  outside  were  heard  to 
say:  "Shame  on  Penelope!  She  weds  a  sec- 
ond time,  and  does  not  even  know  whether  her 
absent  lord  is  dead  or  living.  She  might  have 
waited  for  him  to  return." 

Meantime  Odysseus  followed  a  servant  to 
the  bath,  and  when  he  had  been  bathed  and 
anointed  he  put  on  garments  suitable  for  a 
king.  Athena  gave  him  a  more  majestic  ap- 
pearance, and  caused  his  hair  to  fall  in  heavy 
curls,  like  the  petals  of  the  hyacinth.  When  he 
came  back  to  the  great  hall  and  stood  before 
the  queen,  he  looked  like  an  immortal. 

"  Lady,"  he  said,  "  the  gods  have  given  thee 
a  stubborn  heart.  Any  other  woman  would 
have  given  a  glad  welcome  to  her  husband 
after  he  had  been  absent  twenty  years."  To 
this  Penelope  responded :  "  Not  so ;  I  have  no 


208  Odysseus 

pride  nor  a  cold  heart.  But  I  should  be  un- 
worthy of  my  lord  if  I  accepted  a  stranger 
without  putting  him  to  the  proof.  I  remember 
well  when  thou  didst  go  to  Troy.  Thou  didst 
command  Eurycleia  to  carry  thy  massive  bed 
out  into  the  open  air  and  cover  it  with  fleeces." 

"  Nay,  woman,  no  living  man  could  perform 
such  a  feat.  I  built  that  massive  frame  myself. 
It  was  a  tall  olive-tree  that  grew  within  one  of 
the  courts.  Round  it  I  built  a  royal  bower, 
and,  cutting  off  the  great  limbs  of  the  tree, 
shaped  them  and  fastened  them  to  the  trunk. 
In  this  wise  I  built  the  frame,  and  no  one  could 
move  it  without  dragging  the  tree  out  by  the 
roots.  That  is  a  secret  known  only  to  thee 
and  me." 

Penelope  had  put  the  final  test,  and  knew 
that  this  was  surely  Odysseus.  She  rose  from 
where  she  sat  and  ran  to  him  and  threw  her 
arms  about  his  neck  and  kissed  his  brow. 
"  Odysseus,  do  not  be  angry  with  me,"  she 
said.  "  Many  are  they  who  have  tried  to  prac- 
tise deception  upon  me.  Thou  hast  made  me 
believe  in  thee."  These  words  pierced  Odys- 
seus' heart  and  brought  him  the  relief  of  tears. 
He  pressed  his  faithful  wife  to  his  bosom  again 
and  again. 


CHAPTER    U 

ODYSSEUS  VISITS   HIS  FATHER 

EARLY  the  next  morning  Odysseus  dressed 
himself  in  his  splendid  armor  and  bade  his 
son  and  servants  accompany  him  to  the  farm. 
They  took  their  weapons  and  went  forth,  Odys. 
scus  leading  the  way.  It  was  not  long  before 
they  came  to  the  green  fields  which  were  cared 
for  by  Laertes.  He  had  built  his  house  there, 
and  surrounded  it  with  cabins,  where  his  ser- 
vants slept. 

Odysseus  was  anxious  to  know  whether  his 
father  would  recognize  him  or  not,  so  he  said 
to  one  of  the  men :  "  Go  into  the  house  and  call 
my  father.  Let  me  see  whether  he  will  know 
me,  after  I  have  been  so  long  away."  Placing 
his  weapons  in  their  hands,  he  went  down  into 
the  orchard.  There  were  no  servants  about, 
for  they  had  all  gone  off  to  gather  thorns  with 
which  to  build  a  fence. 

There  Odysseus  saw  his  father  working 
around  a  young  tree  that  he  had  just  planted. 
He  was  clad  in  old,  coarse  clothes  that  had 
209 


2io  Odysseus 

been  repeatedly  patched,  a  goat-skin  cap,  and 
gloves  to  protect  his  hands  from  the  briers. 

It  was  pitiful  to  see  the  want  of  hope  in  the 
old  man's  face  as  he  moved  about  brooding 
over  his  troubles.  Odysseus  was  uncertain 
whether  he  should  throw  his  arms  about  his 
father's  neck  and  clasp  him  to  his  heart  and 
kiss  him,  or  whether  it  were  better  to  question 
him. 

He  approached  Laertes  gently  and,  having 
greeted  him,  said  :  "  My  friend,  thou  art  a  skil- 
ful farmer.  Every  fig  and  vine  and  pear  and 
olive  has  been  carefully  trained.  But  no  one 
seems  to  care  for  thee.  Thy  master  treats  thee 
badly,  for  thou  art  ill-clad  and  unkempt.  An 
old  man  deserves  better  things.  Thy  face  does 
not  look  like  the  face  of  a  servant.  Indeed  one 
might  take  thee  for  a  king.  Now  tell  me,  who 
owns  this  orchard?  And  tell  me  also  if  this 
land  is  Ithaca.  I  desire  to  learn  what  became 
of  Odysseus,  the  son  of  Laertes.  He  was 
once  my  guest  and  one  that  I  made  most 
welcome." 

Laertes  wept.  "  Thou  art  indeed  in  Ithaca, 
O  stranger,"  he  said.  "  But  thou  dost  seek  in 
vain  for  Odysseus.  The  land  is  full  of  wicked 
men,  and  there  is  no  host  to  load  thee  with 
generous  gifts,  a  recompense  for  thy  hospital- 


Odysseus   Visits  His  Father        211 

itj.  Oh,  tell  me  of  my  son ;  when  did  he  lodge 
with  thee?  Woe  is  me!  The  beasts  and  birds 
have  long  since  devoured  him.  No  mother 
folded  his  shroud  about  him,  nor  did  his  father 
or  his  loyal  wife  weep  upon  his  bier.  Tell  me, 
what  is  thy  name  ?  Where  is  thy  ship  ?  How 
didst  thou  come  here  ?  " 

Odysseus  was  overcome  with  pity,  and  in- 
vented  a  tale  to  prepare  Laertes  for  his  unex- 
pected coming.  Then  he  clasped  the  dear  old 
man  in  his  arms  and  kissed  his  trembling  hands, 
and  said :  "  I  am  thy  son,  my  father ;  I  am  the 
Odysseus  of  whom  thou  dost  inquire.  Here 
is  the  scar  given  me  by  the  wild  boar  as  I 
hunted  on  Parnassos.  And  for  further  proof  I 
will  tell  thee  of  the  orchard-trees  thou  gavest 
me  when  I  was  a  child.  There  were  thirteen 
pear-trees,  forty  fig-trees,  and  ten  apple-trees. 
Forbear  thy  weeping  and  cease  to  mourn.  I 
have  slain  the  suitor-robbers  who  were  destroy- 
ing my  riches,  and  I  have  taken  possession  of 
my  house  again." 

Overwhelmed  with  joy,  the  old  king  trem- 
bled from  head  to  foot.  The  sturdy  chieftain, 
Odysseus,  saw  it  and  drew  him  to  his  heart  to 
keep  him  from  fainting,  and  held  him  there 
until  his  strength  came  back.  Then  they  went 
up  to  the  house,  where  a  supper  had  been  pre- 


2 1 2  Odysseus 

pared,  and  Telemachos  was  waiting.  Laertes 
went  to  the  bath  and  came  back  clad  like  a  king. 
The  grief  had  left  his  face,  and  he  took  on  his 
old  majestic  appearance.  As  they  sat  at  the 
banquet,  relating  the  experiences  of  the  past 
years,  Dolius  and  his  sons,  the  servants  who 
had  gone  in  search  of  thorns,  returned.  Dolius 
recognized  Odysseus  and  seized  him  by  the 
hand  and  saluted  him  with  joyful  greetings, 
and  his  sons  gathered  round  the  chieftain  eager 
to  take  his  hand. 

Meantime  the  souls  of  the  suitors  had  gone 
down  to  the  abode  of  Pluto.  Hermes  led  them, 
and  they  followed,  crying  and  wailing  like  bats 
in  a  dark  cave.  The  shades  of  Achilles,  Aga- 
memnon, Ajax,  and  other  heroes  saw  them-  and 
constrained  them  to  relate  the  mishaps  that 
had  brought  them  there.  Then  Agamemnon's 
ghost  responded  :  "Fortunate  Odysseus!  His 
fame  shall  last  forever,  and  poets  shall  sing  the 
praises  of  Penelope  in  all  the  coming  ages." 

Ere  Odysseus  and  Laertes  had  finished  their 
feast,  the  news  of  the  dreadful  death  of  the 
suitors  spread  over  the  city.  The  wooers  had 
many  friends,  and  they  came  to  the  palace 
weeping  and  mourning,  ready  to  avenge  their 
slaughter.  Finding  that  Odysseus  was  not  at 
home,  they  proceeded  to  the  market-place. 


Odysseus   Visits  His  Father        213 

The  father  of  Antinoos  arose  and  lifted  up  his 
voice  crying  for  vengeance,  but  Medon,  the 
herald,  warned  them  that  a  god  had  taken  part 
against  them  and  that  strife  would  be  useless. 

Halitherses,  a  wise  and  reverend  citizen, 
took  up  the  word :  "  Ye  men  of  Ithaca,"  he 
said,  "  give  ear  to  what  I  have  to  say.  Odys- 
seus was  not  the  cause  of  your  misfortunes,  but 
you,  yourselves.  Ye  would  not  check  the  in- 
solence of  the  suitors,  even  when  Mentor  bade 
you  do  it.  Contend  not  with  Odysseus  nor 
bring  down  his  wrath  upon  us." 

The  Ithacans  were  now  divided  against 
themselves.  Half  of  them  took  up  arms  to 
make  war  on  Odysseus,  and  started  for  his 
father's  house.  In  this  adversity  Athena  did 
not  forget  her  favorite  chief,  but  armed  herself, 
and,  taking  on  the  guise  of  Mentor,  placed  her- 
self at  Odysseus'  side.  A  son  of  Dolius  was 
first  to  announce  that  a  crowd  was  marching 
against  them,  when  they  all  arose  quickly, 
donned  their  armor,  and  went  outside. 

Then  Odysseus  cried  out  to  Telemachos : 
"  Now  is  the  moment  to  show  thyself  a  hero, 
my  son.  Do  not  bring  disgrace  upon  thy  fore- 
fathers, for  they  are  renowned  over  the  whole 
world  for  their  bravery."  Telemachos  re- 
sponded :  "  There  is  no  danger  of  that,  my 


214  Odysseus 

dear  father,  as  I  shall  show  thee  presently." 
When  Laertes  heard  this  he  rejoiced  and  said  : 
"  This  is  a  happy  day  for  me.  How  blest  am 
I  to  see  my  son  and  grandson  rivals  in  brave 
deeds." 

Athena  now  drew  near  to  the  old  king,  and 
inspired  him  with  youthful  courage.  He 
swung  his  spear  aloft  and  threw  it  at  the  lead- 
er of  the  host  and  smote  him  to  the  earth. 
Odysseus  and  Telemachos  rushed  into  the  fray 
with  double-edged  swords.  They  would  have 
made  an  end  of  the  whole  multitude,  but  Athe- 
na called  aloud  :  "  People  of  Ithaca,  cease  from 
fighting !  Retire  at  once  from  this  contest  and 
shed  no  more  blood." 

The  Ithacans  grew  pale  with  fright  at  hear- 
ing the  voice  of  the  goddess.  They  threw 
down  their  weapons  and  ran  toward  the  city 
in  a  panic  of  fear.  Odysseus  shouted  in  tri- 
umph as  he  gave  chase,  but  Zeus  sent  a  thun- 
der-bolt down  as  a  sign  to  Athena  that  she 
should  restrain  him.  The  goddess  called  to 
him  to  cease  the  pursuit,  and,  taking  the  guise 
of  Mentor,  she  moved  the  minds  of  Odysseus 
and  his  enemies  to  mutual  pledges  of  peace 
and  good-will. 


VOCABULARY  AND  NOTES 

A  chfl'  les — also  called  Pelides,  the  hero  of  the  "  Iliad."  He  was 
the  son  of  Peleus  (king  of  Phthia  in  Thessaly)  and  the  sea- 
nymph,  Thetis. 

^E  ge"  an — a  sea  east  of  Greece. 

JE'  o  Ins — the  keeper  of  the  winds,  and  king  of  Lipara,  one  of  the 
.-Eolian  isles  north  of  Sicily. 

Ag  a  mem'  non — leader  of  all  the  Greek  chiefs  hi  the  Trojan  war. 

A'  jax,  or  Aias — king  of  Salamis  and  cousin  of  Achilles.  He  was 
the  son  of  Telamon  and  was  called  Ajax  the  Greater. 

Al  ex  an'  drSs — Paris,  son  of  Priam. 

Al  kin'  5  6s— king  of  Scheria,  father  of  NansicaiL  He  gave  aid 
to  Odysseus  when  he  was  stranded  on  the  island. 

An  tin  o  6s — the  boldest  of  the  suitors. 

Aph  ro  dT  te — Venus,  the  goddess  of  love  and  beauty.  The  island 
of  Kythera  (Cythera),  south  of  Greece,  was  the  seat  of  her 
worship. 

A  pol'  lo — the  Sun-god,  brother  of  Artemis  and  son  of  Zeus  and 
Leto.  The  island  of  Delos  was  his  mythical  birthplace  and 
his  principal  oracle  was  at  Delphi. 

Ar  ca'  di  a,  or  Arkadia — the  central  district  of  the  Peloponnesus. 

A  re'  te  (a  ra'  ta) — wife  of  Alkinoos  and  queen  of  Scheria. 

Ar  e  thu  sa — a  spring  ' '  where  the  swine  of  Eumaios  ate  '  abun- 
dance of  acorns  and  drank  the  black  water.'"  (See  Baedeker's 
Greece — Ithaca. )  Arethusa  was  also  the  name  of  a  water- 
nymph  inhabiting  the  spring. 

Ar'  gas,  or  Argos — the  most  celebrated  dog  known  to  fame.  He 
belonged  to  Odysseus. 

Ar'  te  mis,  or  Diana — goddess  of  the  moon  and  sister  to  Apollo. 
She  was  called  the  hunter-goddess  and  the  protector  of  ani- 
mals. 

215 


2 1 6  Odysseus 


As'  pho  del — a  flower  sacred  to  Persephone.  The  souls  of  the 
departed  were  supposed  to  wander  in  meadows  adorned  with 
these  beautiful  flowers. 

A  the'  ne,  or  Athena ;  Latin,  Minerva — the  patron  deity  of 
Athens.  The  city  was  named  for  her.  Ruskin  calls  her  the 
"  Queen  of  the  Air,"  and  explains  her  real  significance  as  be- 
ing the  inspiration  of  the  soul,  which  corresponds  to  the  phys- 
ical vigor  and  life  received  by  inhaling  the  pure  air.  She  is  al- 
ways called  the  "Goddess  of  Wisdom." 

A'  treus  (a'  truse) — son  of  Pelops  and  father  of  Agamemnon. 

Au'  lis — a  bay  and  town  on  the  coast  of  Greece,  about  thirty  miles 
north  of  Athens.  "The  scanty  ruins  of  Aulis  lie  on  the 
rugged  ridge  of  rock  which  stretches  into  the  sea  between  the 
two  bays.  The  little  town  never  attained  any  importance,  for 
its  site  was  unfavorable  for  the  development  of  a  community ; 
but  the  two  sheltered  bays  wejje  excellently  adapted  to  be  the 
rendezvous  of  a  fleet. "  (See  Baedeker's  Greece — Aulis. ) 

Cad'  mus,  or  Kadmos — the  founder  of  Thebes  in  Boeotia.  Accord- 
ing to  tradition,  he  came  from  Phrenicia  and  brought  the  alpha- 
bet to  the  Greeks  and  the  knowledge  of  working  in  metals. 

Cal'  chas,  or  Kalchas — a  soothsayer.  He  offended  Agamemnon 
by  declaring  that  the  Greeks  suffered  from  the  wrath  of  the 
gods  through  his  offences. 

Ca  lyp'  so — the  goddess  of  Silence,  daughter  of  Oceanos  and 
Tethys,  and  queen  of  Ogygia.  She  tried  by  every  art  to  de- 
tain Odysseus  on  his  way  home  from  Troy. 

Cas  san'  dra — a  daughter  of  Priam,  and  a  prophetess,  taken  cap- 
tive in  the  Trojan  war  and  awarded  to  Agamemnon. 

Cha  ryb'  dis — a  whirlpool  off  the  coast  of  Sicily,  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Messina. 

Cir'  ce,  or  Kirke — the  daughter  of  Helios,  the  Sun.  She  was  an 
enchantress  who  lived  on  the  island  J&asa..  She  infused  into 
the  vine  the  intoxicating  quality  found  in  the  juice  of  the 
grape.  "The  grave  of  Circe  used  to  be  pointed  out  on  the 
island  of  St.  George,  close  to  Salamis."  (See  Baedeker's 
Greece — Salamis. ) 

Cy'  clops,  or  Kyklops,  also  called  Polyphemus — a  monstrous  one- 


Vocabulary  and  Notes  217 

eyed  giant.  He  was  the  son  of  Poseidon.  It  was  due  to  his 
prayer  for  revenge  that  Odysseus  was  kept  so  long  wandering 
on  the  sea. 

Cy  the'  ra,  or  Kythera — a  rocky  island  lying  south  of  Greece.  It 
was  the  seat  of  the  worship  of  Aphrodite. 

De'  los— an  island  about  sixty  miles  southeast  of  Athens.  It  is 
the  mythical  birthplace  of  Apollo  and  Artemis. 

De  mod'  o  kos — a  bard  at  the  court  of  Alkinoos. 

E'  lis — a  district  and  a  city  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  Pelop- 
onnesus. Like  Sparta,  the  city  had  no  walls.  It  was  pro- 
tected by  the  sacred  peace  of  Olympia. 

The  plain  or  precinct  of  Olympia  is  situated  in  the  district  of 
Elis.  Pyrgos  is  the  nearest  railroad  station.  "  Olympia  owed 
its  high  importance  throughout  the  entire  Grecian  world  to 
the  famous  Olympic  games  in  honor  of  Zeus,  which  took  place 
periodically  for  centuries.  Excavations  there  have  brought  to 
light  many  magnificent  pieces  of  sculpture,  among  them  the 
Hermes  of  Praxiteles. " 

El  pe"  nor — one  of  the  comrades  of  Odysseus.  He  fell  from  the 
roof  of  Circe's  palace  and  was  killed. 

E  lys'  ian — pertaining  to  Elysium,  the  abode  of  dead  heroes  and 
other  happy  spirits. 

Eu  mai'  os,  or  Eumaeus — the  swineherd  of  Odysseus. 

Eu  ro'  tas — a  river  of  southern  Greece. 

Eu  ry'  a  los — a  son  of  Alkinoos. 

Eu  ry  clei'  a  (u  ry  cli'  a) — the  nurse  of  Odysseus  and  Telemachos. 

Eu  ry'  15  chos,  or  Eurylochus — one  of  the  companions  of  Odys- 
seus. 

Eu  ry'  ma  chos,  or  Eurymachus — one  of  the  suitors  of  Penelope. 

Gor'  gon — a  monster  of  fearful  aspect,  a  daughter  of  Phorkys  and 
Ceto.  Her  hair  was  entwined  with  serpents,  her  hands  were 
of  brass,  her  body  covered  with  scales,  and  anyone  gazing 
upon  her  was  turned  into  stone. 

Hel'  en,  or  Helene— a  daughter  of  Tyndareus  and  Leda.  She  was 
the  wife  of  Menelaos  and  was  always  called  "  the  most  beau- 
tiful woman  in  the  world." 

Hel'  las— Greece,  the  land  of  the  Hellenes. 


2 1 8  Odysseus 

He'  li  os— the  god  of  the  Sun. 

He  phais'  tos,  or  Hephaestus — Vulcan.  He  was  the  blacksmith 
god,  the  god  of  fire,  and  a  worker  in  metals. 

He'  ra,  Here — Juno,  the  wife  of  Zeus.  She  was  worshipped  as 
the  queen  of  heaven  and  was  regarded  as  a  model  of  womanly 
virtue.  Argos  was  the  chief  centre  of  the  worship  of  Hera. 

Her'  a  kles,  or  Hercules — a  celebrated  hero  whose  deeds  are  con- 
nected with  many  localities.  There  is  a  cave  near  Nemea 
where  he  is  said  to  have  slain  a  lion,  not  far  from  Stymphalos, 
where  he  put  the  Harpies  to  flight,  and  Erymanthos,  the 
scene  of  the  killing  of  the  Erymanthian  boar.  There  are  tra- 
ditions of  his  heroism  connected  with  Thessaly  (Thebes)  and 
Locris,  also. 

Her'  bart — a  German  philosopher  and  pedagogian. 

Her'  mes,  or  Mercury — the  messenger  of  the  gods,  also  their 
herald. 

Her  mi'  6  ne — the  daughter  of  Menelaos  and  Helen. 

Ho'  mer — the  greatest  of  the  Greek  poets  and  author  of  the 
"  Iliad"  and  "  Odyssey." 

I'  da — a  mountain  of  Asia  Minor,  east  of  Troy. 

IF  i  ad — an  epic  poem,  probably  the  greatest  ever  written,  devoted 
to  the  deeds  of  Achilles,  and  taken  by  the  best  scholars  of 
modern  times  as  an  interpretation  of  Greek  life,  Greek 
thought,  and  the  Greek  religion. 

I'  no,  or  Leucothea — a  daughter  of  Cadmus,  a  sea-nymph  who 
helped  Odysseus  by  giving  him  an  enchanted  veil. 

Iph  i  gen  ei'  a — the  daughter  of  Agamemnon  and  Clytemnestra. 
"  Ulrichs  has  discovered  the  site  of  the  famous  Temple  of 
Artemis  or  Diana,  where  Agamemnon  was  on  the  point  of  sac- 
rificing his  daughter  Iphigeneia,  before  the  departure  of  the 
Greek  fleet  for  Troy. "  (See  Baedeker's  Greece— Aulis. )  To 
appreciate  the  character  of  this  famous  woman  one  must  read 
the  "Iphigeneia  in  Aulis"  of  Euripides  and  the  "  Iphigeneia 
in  Tauris  "  of  Goethe. 

Ith'  a  ca,  or  Ithaka,  Greek  Ithake — a  rocky  island  with  an  area 
of  37^  square  miles  and  12,500  inhabitants.  "  The  world-wide 
fame  of  this  little  island  is  of  course  due  to  the  Homeric  epic  of 


Vocabulary  and  Notes  219 

the  Odyssey,  in  which  the  misfortunes  and  wiles,  the  wan- 
derings, and  home-coining  of  Ulysses  (Odysseus),  King  of 
Ithaca,  hare  been  handed  down  to  posterity  in  undying  verse. 
Even  if  the  person  of  the  hero  be  relegated  to  the  realm  of 
myths,  it  is  indisputable  that  the  descriptions  of  the  poem  rest 
upon  a  more  or  less  exact  local  knowledge ;  and  this  is  evident 
not  only  in  the  account  of  the  situation  and  general  «-h«nxtM- 
of  the  island  but  also  in  numerous  small  details.  .  .  .  The 
island  became  almost  entirely  depopulated  in  the  middle  ages, 
in  consequence  of  the  raids  of  pirates  and  the  Turkish  wars, 
and  did  not  begin  to  recover  until  the  Venetian  epoch.  Bat 
similar  conditions  of  life  make  the  modern  islanders  resemble 
the  ancient.  To  this  day  the  Ithacans  are  distinguished  by 
their  bold  seamanship,  their  love  of  home,  and  their  hospital- 
ity." (See  Baedeker's  Greece — Ithaca.) 

Ja'  son,  or  lason — the  hero  who  undertook  the  expedition  in  search 
of  the  Golden  Fleece. 

Ktes  ip'  pos,  or  Ctesippus — one  of  the  suitors  of  Penelope. 

Lak  e  dai  mon,  or  Lacedaemon— a  district  in  southeastern  Greece. 
Sparta  was  its  capital. 

La  er  tes— the  father  of  Odysseus. 

La  o  da  mis — a  son  of  Alkinoos. 

La  o  co  on,  or  Laokoon— a  young  priest  of  Apollo.  He  warned 
the  Trojans  not  to  accept  the  wooden  horse  left  by  the  Greeks 
and  was  destroyed  by  a  serpent. 

Lo'  tus— the  Egyptian  water-lily,  also  a  tree.  The  lotus-eaters 
ate  of  the  fruit  of  the  lotus-tree  and  forgot  their  homes  and 
friends. 

Me  Ian'  thi  os— a  servant  of  Odysseus,  a  goatherd  who  sympa- 
thized with  the  suitors  and  served  them. 

Men  e  la  os.  or  Menelaus— a  son  of  Atreus  and  brother  of  Aga- 
memnon. Menelaos  was  the  king  of  Sparta  and  husband  of 
Helen. 

Men'  tor— the  wise  counsellor  of  Tdemachos. 

Mil  u  a  des— the  hero  of  the  battle  of  Marathon,  fought  490  B.C. 
In  this  battle  the  Greeks,  numbering  10,000  men,  conquered 
ten  times  as  many  Persians. 


22O  Odysseus 


Mi'  nos — a  son  of  Zeus  and  ruler  over  Crete. 

Mo'  ly — a  fabulous  plant  having  magic  properties.  It  had  a  white 
blossom  and  a  black  root. 

My  ce"  nas,  or  Mykenai — an  ancient  city  of  Argolis,  in  the  north- 
eastern Peloponnesus.  "  Dr.  Henry  Schliemann,  in  1876,  made 
rich  discoveries  there,  weapons,  ornaments,  vessels  of  gold, 
silver  and  clay,"  skeletons  "  surrounded  by  bands  of  gold, 
golden  shovels  engraved  with  battle-scenes,"  etc.  (See 
Baedeker's  Greece — Mycenae  and  Athens.) 

Myr'  mi  dons — a  warlike  people  of  Thrace,  ruled  by  Achilles  and 
taken  by  him  to  the  Trojan  war  as  followers. 

Nau  sic'  a  a— the  daughter  of  Alkinoos. 

Ne  op  tol'  e  mos — the  son  of  Achilles. 

Nes'  tor— the  leader  of  the  warriors  of  Pylos,  in  southwestern 
Greece. 

O  ke'  a  nos,  or  Oceanus — the  god  of  the  river  Oceanus,  and  son 
of  Heaven  and  Earth. 

Od  ys'  seus  (suse),  or  Ulysses — the  son  of  Laertes  and  Anticleia 
and  the  hero  of  Homer's  Odyssey.  Being  summoned  to  the 
Trojan. war,  he  feigned  madness,  and  harnessed  a  mule  and  a 
cow  to  a  plough  and  began  ploughing  the  sea-shore.  Palamedes, 
to  test  his  madness,  placed  his  infant  son,  Telemachos,  in 
front  of  the  plough,  and  Odysseus  quickly  turned  it  aside.  He 
became  famous  for  his  bravery  and  craft  in  the  war.  He  is 
looked  upon  by  critics  as  the  most  perfect  type  of  adult  Greek 
ideals. 

O  lymp'  os,  or  Olympus — a  mountain  in  Thrace.  The  home  of  the 
gods. 

O  res'  tes — the  son  of  Agamemnon. 

Par'  is,  or  Alexandros — a  son  of  Priam.  At  his  birth  there  was  a 
prophecy  that  he  would  be  the  ruin  of  his  country  ;  hence  he 
was  cast  out  upon  Mount  Ida,  where  he  was  found  and  rescued 
by  a  shepherd.  (See  Introduction.) 

Par  nas'  sos — a  mountain  near  the  north  coast  of  the  Corinthian 
Gulf.  It  is  8,070  feet  high  and  commands  a  view  of  Mount 
Olympos  to  the  north,  Euboea  on  the  east,  the  islands  of  the 
Archipelago,  the  Peloponnesus,  and  even  Mount  Korax. 


Vocabulary  and  Notes  221 


Pat*  ro  klos,  or  Patroclns— the  intimate  friend  of  Achilles.  His 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  Trojans  provoked  Achilles  to  action. 

Pei  sis'  tra  tos— a  son  of  Nestor. 

Pe  leus— the  father  of  Achilles. 

Pel  op  on  nes'  us — the  peninsula  of  lower  Greece. 

Pe  nel'  o  pe — the  wife  of  Odysseus.  The  greatest  heroine  of  an- 
cient romance. 

Per  seph'  one,  or  Proserpine — daughter  of  Demeter  (Ceres). 
"  She  was  the  goddess  of  Spring  and  was  allowed  to  spend 
two-thirds  of  the  year  with  her  mother,  while  the  remaining 
time  she  dwelt  with  her  husband,  Hades,  in  his  underground 
abode. "  Elensis,  twelve  miles  west  of  Athens,  was  the  centre 
of  the  worship  of  Demeter  and  Persephone.  (See  Baedeker's 
Greece — Eleusi  s. ) 

Phai  a'  ki  ans,  or  Phzacians— the  people  of  the  island  of  Scheria, 
over  whom  Alkinods  ruled. 

Phe"  mi  os — a  bard  at  the  court  of  Odysseus. 

Phor'  kys — the  harbor  where  the  Phaeacians  landed  Odysseus  on 
his  return  to  Ithaca.  "  The  Bay  of  Vathy,"  says  Baedeker, 
"  disputes  with  the  Bay  of  Dexia  the  honor  of  being  the  Har- 
bour of  Phorkys." 

Pin'  to,  or  Hades— a  son  of  Rhea  and  Kronos  and  brother  of  Zens 
and  Poseidon.  Pluto  was  the  ruler  of  the  lower  world. 

Po  sei'  don,  or  Neptune — brother  of  Zens  and  Hades.  Poseidon 
was  the  ruler  of  the  seas  and  was  the  first  to  train  and  employ 
horses. 

Pol  y  phe'  mus,  or  Polyphemos  or  Cyclops— the  son  of  Poseidon. 
He  was  one  of  the  Cyclops  or  Kyklops  who  were  said  to  live 
in  the  heart  of  burning  mountains,  particularly  in  Mount 


Pri'  am,  or  Priamos— king  of  Troy  and  father  of  Paris. 

Pro'  tens— an  ocean  deity  who  lived  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.    He 

took  care  of  Poseidon's  sea-calves  and  was  famous  for  his 

evasiveness. 
Py'  los— a    town  (and  bay)  in  the  southwestern  part  of  lower 

Greece.     It  was  the  centre  of  Nestor's  kingdom. 
Sa'  mos— "M  present  a  little  village  on  the  island  of  Cephalonia, 


222  Odysseus 

the  starting-point  of  the  boats  to  Ithaca.  In  Homer,  the  island 
of  Cephalonia,  or  its  east  part,  is  called  Same ;  and  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  Odyssey,  Samos  appears  as  belonging  to  the  king- 
dom of  Ithaca."  (Baedeker.)  Samos,  a  large  island  near 
Asia  Minor,  is  not  related  to  the  Samos  of  the  Odyssey. 

Ska  man'  dros,  or  Scamander — a  river  of  the  Troad  or  plains  of 
Troy. 

Scher'  i  a — an  island  northwest  of  Greece.  "The  ancients  identi- 
fied Corfu  with  the  Phaeacian  island  of  Scheria,  mentioned  in 
the  'Odyssey,'  as  ruled  over  by  Alkinoos."  (Baedeker.) 

Skyl'  la — a  rock  in  southwestern  Italy.  It  was  supposed  to  be  the 
abode  of  a  monster  with  many  heads  and  hands. 

Sky'  ros — a  large  island  east  of  Greece. 

Sim'  o  is — a  river  in  the  Troad,  and  a  branch  of  the  Scamander. 

Si'  rens — daughters  of  Achelbos  and  a  Muse,  or,  according  to  an- 
other account,  daughters  of  Phorkys.  They  failed  to  care  for 
Persephone  when  Pluto  seized  her  to  carry  her  off,  and  Deme- 
ter  took  revenge  by  transforming  them  into  monsters  half 
woman  and  half  bird. 

Sis'  y  phos — a  hero  who  secured  a  fountain  to  the  citadel  of  Corinth 
by  betraying  Zeus.  Sisyphos  was  punished  by  being  obliged 
to  roll  stones  up-hill  in  Hades. 

Spar'  ta — a  town  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Peloponnesus,  on  the 
Eurotas.  It  was  the  chief  city  of  Lacedaemon  and  the  home 
of  Menelaos  and  Helen.  It  had  no  walls,  but  its  acropolis 
was  covered  with  temples.  Ancient  Sparta  was  noted  for  the 
bravery  of  its  people.  At  present  Sparta  has  about  3,600 
inhabitants.  There  are  few  relics  of  its  ancient  greatness. 

Styx — a  stream  of  water  in  central  lower  Greece.  ' '  The  thread 
of  water  descends  from  a  huge  cliff  against  a  background 
of  dark  moss,  which  has  earned  for  the  brook  the  name 
of  '  Black  Water. '  At  the  bottom  of  the  cliff  the  water  loses 
itself  in  a  chaos  of  rocks.  The  ancients  saw  in  the  icy  cold- 
ness of  the  water  and  in  the  barren  tract  around  an  image  of 
the  underworld. "  (See  Baedeker's  Greece.)  To  swear  by 
the  Styx  was  to  take  "  the  great  oath  of  the  gods." 

Tan'  ta  los — a  king  of  Phrygia  punished  by  the  gods  for  treachery 


Vocabulary  and  Notes  223 

and  for  cruelty  to  his  son.  He  was  doomed  to  suffer  from 
hunger  and  thirst  while  standing  close  to  food  and  water 
which  he  could  not  reach. 

Te  le  ma  chos — the  son  of  Odysseus  and  Penelope. 

Ten'  e  dos — an  island  in  the  neighborhood  of  Troy  or  Ilium, 

Them  is'  to  kles — a  great  statesman  of  Athens,  and  a  leader  of  the 
Greeks  in  the  Persian  war  when  the  Greeks  won  the  battle  of 
Salamis. 

The  sens  (The  suse)— a  son  of  ^Egeus  and  ^tthra.  Like  his 
counterpart  Herakles,  Theseus  performed  wonderful  deeds, 
and  finally  became  ruler  of  Athens. 

Thes  sa  ly — a  large  province  of  northern  Greece. 

The  tis — a  sea-nymph,  the  mother  of  Achilles. 

Ti  res  ias,  or  Teiresias — a  Theban  seer.  He  retained  his  con- 
sciousness after  death,  and  Odysseus  descended  into  Hades 
to  consult  with  him  before  he  could  reach  Ithaca. 

Troy.  Ih'os,  or  Ilium — a  city  of  Asia  Minor  and  the  scene  of  the 
Trojan  war.  Dr.  Schliemann  has  identified  the  city  with 
Hissarlik.  and  in  his  excavations  there  found  many  evidences 
of  the  war,  such  as  spears,  helmets,  etc. 

Zeus,  or  Jupiter — a  son  of  Kronos  and  Rhea.  His  abode  was 
supposed  to  be  on  Mount  Olympos,  in  Thessaly.  He  was 
considered  the  highest  of  the  gods,  ruler  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth. 

Za'  kyn  thos,  or  Zante — an  island  near  Corfu. 


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